[ Hello all! This is just a little update post about the content of this blog! Or rather, a new blog that might interest some of you!
  I know several of you came aboard for the Sasu///Hina content I write! Because I want to get more into writing fanfiction for that ship, Iâve actually made a new, separate sideblog for that content: @365daysofsasuhinaâ.
  All of my old event drabbles for that ship have already been reblogged there. And starting January first, Iâm challenging myself to write something every day for a year for SH! (You can find more info about the challenge on the blogâs about page.) So if youâd like more content for that ship in your feed, I recommend giving it a follow! It wonât start, again, until the first of the year, but I just thought Iâd give a little heads up now.
  Iâm going to queue this post for a few days to help ensure anyone who wants to follow that blog, can! If it tickles your fancy, please give @365daysofsasuhinaâ a follow for more ship content this coming year! Thank you so much for your support <3 ]
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[ Northbound ]
[ @yukaikokoro ]
[ Hatake Kakashi, Suigin Ryƫ, Kottakawa Kumiko ]
[ Verse: Divine Light ]
Hearing that theyâre headed back to the frigid north brings about two feelings in Kakashi. One being elation: he hasnât been able to see Kumiko in person for weeks. Obitoâs proposed portal system is still in the works, and other âpoints of interestâ they want to connect are still debating whether or not to enact the passages. Frustrating, but...one canât rush politics.
The other is dread.
While itâs true the most current chosen disciple of Glaciris is doing her best to make change...the ice and snow of the north are slow to thaw. The soil isnât the only thing that remains frozen. He already got a taste of northern âhospitalityâ during their journey to find the stolen lux mage that now makes her way up of her own volition. Kakashi has to admit, heâs not eager to experience it again.
But, the former point outweighs the latter...or, a least he hopes it will.
This time around, itâs just the pair of them traveling. And despite RyĆ«âs suggestion that Suigin take them, the berech refuses. One flight on Raziya was enough to tell him heâs really not fond of flying. So, the pair of them take tamer mounts: that being their horses. Kakashiâs bay gelding keeps stride with RyĆ«âs dappled grey mare, the pair of them keeping hoods over their heads. Thankfully the weather has held - itâs cold, and a little windy, but a far cry from the blizzard he and Kumiko endured.
The roads are largely empty - they take the main path this time, and trade caravans stick largely to another route. Given how few travelers the north gets, they encounter almost no one...and most that they do are leaving.
âIt would seem little has changed these past weeks,â his charge notes quietly.
âWinter never does like to give way to Spring.â
By afternoon they finally reach the capital city gates. Pale stone forms the bulk of the architecture, rounded to best let the frigid winds slip between structures. Banners flutter stiffly in the wind, too frozen to properly ripple. People dressed in furs and thick textiles give them curious glances...and a few seem to glower.
Neither of them pay their hosts any mind - itâs not these people theyâve come to see, after all. Instead, the pair make their way through the city toward the northernmost point, where the robust Glacirian castle stands. Unlike Meridiem, what with its reaching spires and parapets, Boralisâ royal quarters are more grounded: two stories at its tallest, sprawling to cover more ground rather than go skyward.
They stop at yet another gate, guards demanding their documentation. Itâs something Kakashi finds ridiculous: how many lux mages are there, and how many berech with mismatched eyes? But he doesnât voice his disdain, instead going through quietly as theyâre given leave.
Theyâre met at the door by another set of guards, their mounts led to the stables as they make their way inside. The snow-like stone only echoes the cold atmosphere of the place, decorations made mostly in deep blues and silvers. Kakashi canât help but note thereâs an unnerving amount of armed personnel. Likely something Kumikoâs father ordered - some kind of display of might, if he had to guess.
RyĆ« makes no note of it, passing them by without a glance. Thankfully itâs not a long walk to the main hall, and they come upon Kumiko speaking with what looks to be a captain. As Kakashi suspected, her hardened expression and terse tone seem to hint that sheâs unhappy with the situation, but she turns to them at the sound of approaching footsteps. A forced smile brightens her features.
âIt seems our guests have survived the frozen wilds!â she greets, and Kakashi canât help a perk of his brow at her falsely-cheer lilt. âIâm sure youâre weary - weâll retreat to my study for the time being.â
The other pair exchange a subtle glance before nodding. Silence reigns until Kumiko shuts a heavy door behind them. Immediately, all pretense of her expression fades to a scowl.
âHave I no control over my own staff?â she growls, striding tersely across the room to sit at her desk, a hand gesturing curtly for them to take their seats. âI tire of my father usurping my orders âin my best interestâ. I apologize for your crude welcome - I meant to head the greeting at the gate, but was...waylaid.â
âItâs no trouble - we prepared for as much,â RyĆ« assures her, giving a wry smile.
âI, at least, had an inkling what we were in for.â Kakashi canât help but match her dry humor. âWe know what was going on...and who weâre actually here to see. Donât worry yourself over it.â
âIf this were the only circumstances, I wouldnât,â Kumiko replies. âEver since our disagreement upon my passage through to look for you,â she nods to RyĆ«, âmy father has only grown all the more irritable and closed-off. Heâs acting like a child whoâs lost their favorite toy. I think itâs finally clear Iâve no intention to follow so closely in his footsteps.â Elbows brace atop the deskâs surface, palms catching her brow. â...the final straw was when I told him about my contact with Glaciris. He refuses to believe me. Claims Iâm lying to try and buffer my image over his.â
While RyĆ«âs brow furrows sharply, Kakashi just rolls his eyes. âWhat?! Heâd dare deny -!â
âHe wasnât there to witness it,â Kakashi cuts in with a glance. â...technically no one really was. I was unconscious, and though the caravan saw it from a distance, the Embrace faded as they got close. Only one person claimed to know what it was.â
The lux mage lifts a lip in a snarl. âWhat reason does Kumiko have to lie?â
âMy father and I have butted heads on the direction to take our lands for some time now,â Kumiko replies, tone weary. âOur lands were one of the few least affected by the Rift. Survival this far north without ven is nigh on impossible, so those without it relied on us...or left. It only deepened the feelings of animosity for outsiders here. As our element is cold, so are we, to a point. Glacirisâ lands have remained in elâven hands throughout the times of the wars with the elâtahl, and then after most elâven took to hiding. Weâve remained unchanged, and itâs let us fester. My father wishes to continue on this way, and I do not. Times are changing. If we donât, weâll only get left further behind.â
A hand gestures. âHe is the main reason we still have not formally agreed to the portal system. Why, beyond trade, we see so little travel between our land and the others. And even then, he argues allowing traders is still too open a border. Some of my people have come to disagree with him and side with my call for moving forward...but not all. Not even most. Our slow approach to things may have saved us in the past...but itâs going to be the end of us in the future.â
â...is that why you called us here?â
âPartly. I wish to try to negotiate with him, but I doubt much will come of it.â Kumikoâs arms fold, and she practically pouts. â...mostly I wanted show I wouldnât obey his suggestion of distancing ourselves from the other lands, and the renewed Summit. So I brought its unofficial leaders here, instead.â
Thereâs a pause...and then they all break out into laughter as the tension breaks.
âIâm sorry,â RyĆ« offers in sympathy, wiping at an eye. âI know youâve been so frustrated, and I canât blame you. If only we could get Glaciris themselves involved, heâd change his tune.â
The glacial mage snorts. âOh, a lot of things would change.â
âI do wonder if weâll hear from them more after all that trouble with Madara and Tenebreos...true, the Rift brought great imbalance, but that was something else entirely.â RyĆ«âs head cocks. â...maybe we will hear from the Elementals more. If things get out of hand enough, at least.â
âIâd rather not have to go hunting for you all over the continent again,â Kakashi deadpans.
âOh gods, no. But maybe -â
A knock sounds at the door, and the three of them glance over. â...yes?â Kumiko asks.
The entry opens, and a young woman sticks her head through, looking a little flustered. âThereâs...thereâs a man here for the Luxerian mage, milady.â
They all blink. â...a man?â
âA right frightful one, maâam.â
Another pause, and then something seems to click. RyĆ«âs expression falls flat. â...Iâd best to attend to thisâŠâ She stands and mutters something unheard under her breath, the door closing behind her.
Kumiko gives Kakashi a confused look. â...what was that?â
âThat, Iâm willing to bet, was Obito looking for his ward. He is her bodyguard while on probation, after all.â
âDid you not tell him you were leaving?â
âOh, we did. He said heâd be fine. Apparently he underestimated his patience.â
After a beat, she largely fails to withhold a snort. â...I see.â
Kakashi canât help a wry grin. âTo be fair, he was stuck with her for quite some time...and she is also one of the few things he knows from both his time under Madara, and afterward. I think itâs made him a bit clingy.â
Kumiko chuckles with a slow shake of her head. âJust a bit.â Giving him a coy look, she adds, âThey werenât the only ones stuck together all that time, you know.â
â...true.â He softens, ever so slightly. âBut weâre now about a half a continent away, sadly.â
âYet another reason to get the portal system up and runningâŠâ Thereâs a sigh. â...I suppose for now, I can suffice with a visit. With your charge busy, maybe we can take a little walk...just the two of us?â
âThe two of us, and all the guards spaced ten feet apart.â
She groans. âDonât remind me.â
âNot to worry - Iâm very good at ignoring guards,â Kakashi assures he as he stands, offering an arm she takes with a perked brow.
â...what is that supposed to meanâŠ?â
âWell, sometimes...in order to slay a monster, you have to jump over a few private manor wallsâŠâ
â...okay, you have to tell me more about that one.â
âWho says it was just one?â
   ...I dunno what this is xD Kakashi pays Kumiko a visit in Boralis, and...stuffâs still a lil unsteady politically because why wouldnât it be, lol
   Iâm still lacking a lot in regards to the various elemental cultures...and even then itâs gonna vary cuz of pocket populations and the like, so most of what this is is literally winged as I went. Hopefully it makes sense xD Though I DID come up with the Luxerian capital, Meridiem. It means glow and is one of the least ridiculous-sounding Latin words relating to light, haha! So now we have two capitals named out of...twelve. Welp.
   Anyway, itâs a lil short cuz honestly a month straight of drabbles still has me rather burnt out, but...hopefully it was still a good read ;w; Kakashi has a lot of...interesting stories to tell from his years rogue as a hunter. Trespassing on nobles is probably one of his least trouble-inducing tales, honestly. He could write a book if he had the patience, but I think DL-Kakashi would find that rather boring, so heâll just retell them verbally (and maybe do some slight embellishing).
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[ SasuHinaMonth Day Thirty-One: Night Creatures ]
[ @sasuhinamonth ]
[ Uchiha Sasuke, Hyƫga Hinata ]
[ SasuHina, blood mention, gore mention ]
[ Verse: Of Monsters and Men ]
There are reasons humans are scared of the dark.
Itâs late. Far later than she wanted. But friends are insistent and sheâs a pushover. Hence why Hinata is walking back to her bus stop from one of said friendâs apartments with only flickering street lamps as her guides.
It feels like a horror movie and every instinct is screaming...but what choice does she have? With work in the morning she canât stay - everyone else was plastered and sleeping over, unable to drive her. Her only option is the bus, and the proper stop is two blocks away.
It feels like hundreds of eyes are crawling all over her.
Once she reaches the little enclave, she feels only marginally safer. The light is steadier, and sheâs alone atop the bench. A hand grips pepper spray stashed in an interior pocket of her coat.
But itâs geared mostly for humans.
Breath pluming in the chill, she jumps as movement catches her eye. A woman glances up from her phone, looking to her with a perked brow as she sits at the opposite end of the bench. Eyes plaster back to her screen, and Hinata wonders how someone can let their guard down so thoroughly in a place and time like this.
In the meantime, she keeps eyes peeled, looking in every direction open to her person, in search of any hint of a threat. The schedule says the bus should be here in twenty minutes.
She only hopes thatâs fast enough.
The sound of a dropped empty can to her right draws her full gaze, head turning. The little tube of aluminium rolls forebodingly into the aura of light.
Her eyes glue to it for a moment too long, only to realize she needs to keep up her watch. Back she looks, eventually circling back to her companion.
Sheâs gone.
The sight stutters her heart for a beat. She didnât hear her get up, no shoes against pavement or the ruffle of clothing as she stood. For a moment Hinata is tempted to look further but she canât risk -
âJumpy little thing, ainâtcha?â
Spinning back around with a gasp, Hinata finds herself face to face with the woman from before, but irises now shine a bright, ensnaring red. Teeth flash in the light as she grins - numerous and pointed with intent to draw blood.
Her sight canât help her now.
As she stares, the womanâs head jostles slightly, expression wiping clean with shock. Behind her, the sound of a gunâs hammer retracting clicks through the subsequent silence.
â...letâs not do anything stupid,â a masculine voice drawls.
Eyes move in her sockets as though to look behind her. â...Iâm a little busy.â
âOh, I can see that. Busy breaking more than one Mandate. Iâd hope you know the penalty for that.â
âWeâd rather do this quietly.â Another voice sounds behind her, and Hinata turns to see a dark-haired man giving a grin that doesnât reach his eyes. âI think youâve startled the lady enough.â
âTchâŠsheâs alone. Could have just let it be, Enforcers.â
âYou know we canât do that. Seems weâve found our serial killer. One less thing to worry about.â
âWhat about the Daywalker?â
âWeâll give her a hit, play it off as a fainting spell dream. Itâs clear sheâs the paranoid type. Of course...she had reason to be, tonight.â
âAnd our little feeder, here?â
â...you know the drill.â
The womanâs eyes narrow...and with a blink, she disappears.
â...this is why we save talking for after weâre -â
With a crash, the glass of the bus stop explodes behind Hinata. Shrieking and attempting to cover her head, she ducks down only to feel herself being tugged from her seat.
âOne wrong move and the Daywalker gets it!â
Head whipping up in shock, Hinata finds herself hugged to the strangerâs front, a knife to her throat.
âYou think these little flesh bags are worth protecting? Letâs see you handle thi-â
Thereâs a muffled sound, and a split second later Hinata feels a spray of warmth along the back of her head, oozing down her hair and soaking into her coat.
For a moment the womanâs grip holds...before her body crumples to the sidewalk, pooling what blood remains after the shot to her skull.
â...damn it.â
âThe hell, Itachi?! How are we supposed to cover this up now?!â
âI had no choice. Priority is ensuring the target is no longer a threat. A human life is secondary to the countless others she would have taken if sheâd escaped.â A third man, long in hair and stern in expression, holsters a silenced pistol that hides beneath his jacket.
The other men - one with curled locks, the other with unruly strands - close the gap between them.
Hinata simply holds stock still in both shock and caution.
â...well, we got our target. What do we do with the human?â
âWe can still attempt the hit. Get her address from her wallet, get her home, cleaned, changed...play it off as a dream. Have her watched to ensure thereâs no lingering paranoia or thoughts that the incident was real.â
âYouâre...y-youâre vampires...arenât you?â
The trio turn to her, all hesitating at her rather calm expression.
â...Nightwalkers...right?â
All three furrow their brows. â...how do you know that wordâŠ?â
Hinata stares. As she concentrates, blood flow increases to her eyes, enhancing her sight. â...my mother used to talk about them. About the wars, and the myths...how we hurt themâŠâ
Confusion lingers on their faces...until the one named Itachi pales, if possible given his tone. â...that canât beâŠâ
âWhat?â
â...are you...a witchâŠ?â
âThatâs one of the names weâve been given.â
At that, the other two reel back. â...thatâs impossible! Witches arenât realâŠ!â
Says the vampire.
â...I already knew what you were. Thereâs no use in trying to make me forget. Iâm not...Iâm not going to hurt you. Please...Iâm just trying to get home. I wonât tell a soul, I s-swear it! I have just as much of a secret to keep!â
Looking completely flabbergasted, the vampires all glance to one another. â...the Mandates are clear -â
âBut sheâs not a normal human! If you can even call her human!â
âThe Mandates address all who are not our own. They still apply.â
âNo oneâs believed the witches are real in hundreds of years. Do you really think they made the Mandates with witches in mind?!â
âLook...we should bring her in. See what the Senator says. Heâll know what to do.â
âYou know how he is - heâll simply order her killed for the simplicity of it.â
âCovering up a human death isnât simple. Besides...heâll want to know about this.â
Wait...theyâre taking her somewhere? Where?! Whoâs this...Senator? âI...I told you, I wonât give you any trouble! Please just let me go homeâŠ!â
Itachi looks her over. â...we need to get you cleaned up. A human covered in blood canât be seen or it will raise questions. Besides...we need to let the evac team take care of the body and begin investigations. See if this is who we were after.â
âWe wonât let anyone hurt you, miss,â the curly-haired one promises. â...we just need to make sure this is handled properly. Youâre...a bit of an anomaly.â
âA bit,â the last scoffs.
âSasuke, please. You arenât aiding the situation. Shisui, please get the car. Weâd best get back quickly - the hour grows late.â With that, Itachi whips out a phone, dialing a number and turning aside to speak.
â...câmon.â Sasuke, as heâs called, steps up beside her, watching her warily. â...youâre not gonna pull anything, are you?â
âN-no!â Terrified, Hinata pulls at his sleeve. âPlease...I have to get home. I...I have w-work in the morning - theyâll call the police if Iâm missing!â
âWe have ways to smooth that over. Look, just...calm down. Weâre not gonna hurt you. Enforcers work to keep humans safe, too. We have to be sure our actions cause the least amount of disruption...for both sides.â
A black, nondescript car pulls up to the curb. âGet in - evac teamâs here, we need to get scarce.â
âYeah, yeahâŠâ Sasuke guides her to a rear door, Itachi taking the front and still murmuring into his phone with a drawn brow.
With little choice otherwise, Hinata does as directed.
âBuckle up. Youâre in for a ride.â
   Word count: 1425
   Cumulative: 42,965
   Ending average: 1386 words per day
   Welp, Iâll admit...I feel like I ended on a rather flat note (I had a long day and tbh this could be better), but given that this is the last day, I donât want to wait and write something tomorrow, after itâs officially over...even if itâs after midnight where I am now anyway ^^;
   This piece is from my own original monster verse for a novel I want to write called Nightwalkers. It incorporates a lot of different fantasy aspects, mostly monsters and witches. I RP a crossover with it with the Naruto muses I write, and of course the Uchiha are vampires. I play the Hyƫga as witches. Much like monsters are myth to humans, so are witches myth to Nightwalkers. I could ramble on about the lore, but...I get the feeling no one really wants me to. Crossover pieces with my own lores tend to get fewer notes, but...it fit the prompt too well not to.
   Anyway...SH month is officially over. Iâll admit, I had a blast! While it was exhaustion on top of my other projects, and at times frustrating, it was a lot of fun, and a fair number of you seemed to enjoy these little fics! I donât write fanfiction too much beyond events like this that arenât related to my RP blog, so...Iâm not sure when Iâll next write something like this. I do have several owed drabbles for a giveaway I did, one of which IS SasuHina, so...thereâs that at least. I want to write fics again more often, I just...lack time and inspiration most days. But weâll see!
   I just want to say thank you again to all of you who took time to read my entries, and extra thanks to those that liked, reblogged, and commented. Iâm glad to see that the SH community is still pretty active for a crackship of a finished series. Not sure when Iâll see you next, but...thanks again for stopping in and enjoying my works <3
   ~Sylvie
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[ SasuHinaMonth Day Thirty: Flower Shop AU ]
[ @sasuhinamonth ]
[ Uchiha Sasuke, Uchiha Manami, Hyƫga Hiashi, Hyƫga Hinata ]
[ SasuHina, death mention ]
[ Verse: Best Years of Your Life ]
Hinataâs love of flowers started when she was but a little girl. Though the memories are fuzzy with both the passage of time, and the young age they were formed, those of her mother in her flower garden are some of her fondest: of both her childhood, and her mother.
HyĆ«ga Hanako had been a quiet, docile person, much preferring plants to people. Their backyard had been littered with grow beds and flowering trees, all kept by the houseâs matriarch. With her husband handling work and she being a stay at home mother, sheâd spent every spare moment behind the house, tending to the flora with a tender touch.
Hinata had always accompanied her. Much the same in nature as her mother, the private, quiet work suited her. Early on, she learned how to care for them, helping to pull weeds and water. Hanako taught her that you could always whisper your secrets to the flowers, and they would never tell.
Spring was just on the brink of blooming when her mother went into labor with her little sister: something the lot of them had been eagerly awaiting for months. Another bloom for the garden, Hanako had said.
But this flower, sadly, took far too much energy to sprout...and in the end, Hanakoâs wilted to make way for Hanabi.
The loss was devastating to them both: Hinata, and Hiashi. The snow-dusted gardens at the rear of the house were too much. So once wife and mother was buried...Hiashi took his girls across town, to another house. The sprawling lawn behind it was simply...grass. A few evergreen trees. But no traces of flowers. Such things were far too painful a reminder for the man.
Hinata, however, missed them dearly.
In one of her early classes of primary school, they were assigned to grow a seed. Hinata had received a carnation: carefully watering it in the little pot in class. Once the assignment was over, they were free to take the flowers home. Sheâd done so eagerly, putting the little plant in her bedroom window.
Her father never visited her bedroom, anyway.
Over the years, the plant grew...eventually becoming too crowded in its pot. A spare still kept in the garage had done the trick, but every few years, she had to figure out a new solution. And this time, the Summer after her senior year, she faces a bit of a dilemma.
By now, the plant is, admittedly, huge. It sits in a large tub in one corner of her room, standing (tub included) at nearly four feet tall, and the same in width. It needs yet another repotting, but with her due to move to a dorm in the Fall for university...Hinata isnât sure she can take it with her. After all, dorm rooms arenât known for being spacious.
But, leave it behind, and itâs sure to suffer neglect. Her father has come to know of it by now, but she doubts heâd pay it any mind, even if asked. Hanabi just...isnât a plant person. And Hinata isnât sure sheâd keep her kitten out of it, even if she relays the risk of a sick kitty should she ingest any of the leaves.
So, today she heads to the nearest floral shop, mind full of doubts. She canât ask any friends to take it: they face the same problem, come Fall, about space. And she doesnât want to simply get rid of it - thereâs been too much love, and too many whispered secrets, to betray her floral friend that way.
Stepping into the shop, thereâs a pleasant jingle of a brass bell announcing her arrival. A few other customers mill about, considering this vase or that bouquet. Perusing the room, Hinata wilts as she realizes pots big enough for her beauty seem to be missing.
âCan I help you with something?â
Turning to the voice, Hinata finds a woman not much taller than herself standing nearby, donned in a dark green apron with the shopâs name sewn across the top. Dark hair is pulled into a messy bun, a warm, lopsided smile on her face. A name tag reads âManami: managerâ.
It takes Hinata moment to realize that her left lower leg is a prosthetic.
âOh, um...do you not carry any plant pots bigger than thisâŠ?â Hinata gestures to the largest they seem to have.
âOh, those would be outside, in the back. All of our larger inventory is out there. Like...wheelbarrows, full-size planters, et cetera. Anything in particular youâre looking for?â
âWell, I have a houseplant thatâs getting a little big for their current setup.â
âReally? Even for these?â
âReally! Iâve had them forâŠâ Hinata counts for a moment. â...nine years? A carnation I had to grow for a class when I was young.â
âOh, I see!â Manami heaves a laugh, hands on her hips. âI can imagine how big they must be, then!â
âYeah...too big, really.â
âOh?â
âWell, Iâm moving out this Fall for school, and...I canât take them with me. But Iâm afraid no one will take care of them while Iâm gone. My...father is very adverse to flowers.â
A dark brow perks. â...canât say Iâve ever met someone who actually dislikes flowers. Maybe those allergic, but...who can dislike a flower?â
Hinata tucks a stray lock of hair behind her ear. âThey, um...they remind him of my mother. We lost her when I was four, and...I think he just doesnât like being reminded.â
Understanding tempers Manamiâs gaze. âAh, I see...well, thatâs certainly a pickleâŠâ A thoughtful hand rubs at her chin. âWell...tell you what. I happen to have a corner behind the counter that gets plenty of sun, but is rather empty. I could probably keep them back there for you!â
The offer takes Hinata aback. âWait...you would...do that?â
âWell certainly! I have my own collection about that I keep up in the shop - helps it feel a bit more homey.â A dark eye winks. âI canât let such a beloved plant companion go unattended while youâre gone! They wonât be any more work than the rest. Iâll send my nephew with you - he can pick the plant up. He has to do all the heavy lifting,â she adds, patting her leg. âBut once your friend is in place, they can stay there until you can take them back. Theyâll be in good hands, I promise.â
Blinking, it takes her a moment to reply. âI...thank you so much! Are you sure itâs no troubleâŠ?â
âNone at all! I donât have a carnation, myself - theyâll give us a little variety! Let me go fetch my nephew - heâll help you. Sounds like itâll be a job getting them over here!â
A little nervous at being a nuisance, Hinata shyly follows as Manami makes her way through the back door. As she said, all of their larger products are out in a gravel back lot - fountains, cement decorations, lawn furniture...and extra-large planters.
âWhy donât you pick out a planter, and weâll get that all paid for before you bring them over here. Then weâll just re-pot them and set them up in that sunny spot!â
âO-okay!â
They split ways, Hinata picking out a lilac-shade pot that should give them plenty of room until sheâs done with school. By the time sheâs done that, Manami returns with a young man in tow.
A young man she knows.
âMy nephew, Sasuke - he helps out during the Summers.â Manami pats him on the shoulder. âHe can buzz up in my car, and weâll bring that bloomy beauty down here for you!â
The younger pair give each other a glance, clearly wondering what the other is doing here. â...Iâll meet you around front,â Sasuke offers, moving toward a parked van.
âO...okay.â Well...this is awkward. She walked here, after all. Unless he wants to wait for her to walk all the way back...sheâll probably have to hitch a ride.
Hinata knows of Sasuke, though...thatâs a little hard to avoid in the school theyâre in. Or, were in. Heâd been one of the âcool kidsâ that her friends always drooled over. Theyâve never really spoken until now.
She leaves her paid-for planter behind, and fidgets as Sasuke pulls around to the curb. âGet in.â
Thereâs a tick of silence, and then she does as asked. âUm...thank you for doing this.â
âNo problem. Aunty explained whatâs going on. Sheâs a bit of a hoarder.â
In spite of herself, Hinata gives a light laugh. âWell...itâs very nice of her to do. Though...Iâm not sure how to explain what Iâm doing to my fatherâŠâ Sheâs never had a boy in the house before. But sheâs eighteen, darn it - surely he wonât cause a scene. If only it were a weekday, heâd be at workâŠ
âDonât worry about it. Weâll just tell him the truth.â
âThe truth is just a little odd, is all.â
âWell, doesnât really matter what he thinks. Weâll be in and out in a few minutes.â
Pulling up in front of her house, they abandon the van and walk in, Hinata scoping out for her father. Should she tell him beforehand, or just explain if he catches them?
âWhereâs it at?â
âIn, um...in my room. This way.â Down the hall they go, opening the door and revealing the plant in question. âAre you sure it wonât be too heavyâŠ?â
âItâll be fine.â Scooting a few things out of the way, Sasuke gives a grunt and simply...scoops the plant up, pot and all.
...well all right then.
Leading the way back out, Hinata pauses as they meet Hiashi at the end of the hall.
He stares.
âUmâŠâ Hinata flounders, unsure how to explain.
âWeâre adopting your daughterâs plant, sir.â
Both Hyƫga turn to look at Sasuke, hardly visible behind the pot and leaves.
Hiashi perks a brow. â...I suppose there are worse things you could do. But why rid yourself of it?â
âI...well...I donât w-want it to get left behind when...when I move out.â
âYou could -â The man pauses, and then abandons the sentence. â...very well. Do take care not to spill any dirt on the carpet.â
âNo, sir,â Sasuke assures.
They make it outside without a hitch, setting the planter in the rear of the car. âAll right...now weâll just replant it, and weâll be good.â
âThank you for doing this.â
âNo problem.â
The ride back, Hinata canât help a curious glance. âSo...how long have you worked for your aunt?â
âThrough high school. She took my brother and I in after our parents died - she's my momâs older sister. Her sonâs a few years older than Itachi, and his best friend. Sheâs retired military, and took up the shop when she got back from active service.â
âIs that how she lostâŠ?â
âYup. Doesnât slow her down, though.â His lips twitch. âSheâs a very laid-back person. Super sweet. Takes a lot to get on her bad side, but when you doâŠâ
Hinata giggles into a hand. â...Iâm glad you got to stay with family.â
âYeah...sheâs been good to us. Itachi used to work for her too, but heâs finishing up business school and will be getting his own place next year.â
âWill you come back next SummerâŠ?â
â...probably. I think sheâs gonna be feeling the empty nest after having three boys running around.â
âThatâs sweet of you.â
Sasuke gives her a glance. â...you know, I bet sheâd give you a job if you asked. Sheâs always looking for more help, but no one ever sticks around. Seems like you like plants well enough.â
â...you think so?â
âYeah, sure. Iâll put in a good word for you, but I bet sheâll say yes anyway. That is, if you want it.â
âIâŠâ A pause. Her mother had always wanted to start up a flower shop. â...Iâd like that.â
Back at the building, Sasuke hauls the planter in, and Manami helps re-pot. âTheeere we are! Plenty of room for you, now.â Bracing fists on her hips, she admires their handiwork. âItâs clear you take good care of that plant.â
Behind them, Sasuke offers, âJust hire her already, Aunty.â
âWell, I didnât want to spring on the poor girl.â
âIâd love to work here,â Hinata interjects with a smile. âAt least...until classes start up. Maybe it can help pay for my boardâs rent.â
Manami gives another laugh. âWell then...weâve got ourselves a deal!â
   Word count: 2104
   Cumulative: 41,540
   Had to do some thinking for this one! This AU was a prompt in the last SasuHina event I did, so I wanted to be sure it wasnât too similar. Hence it being Sasuke that works at one this time around!
   Manami is an OC of mine from my RP blog, for anyone wondering: a fill-in character for Shisuiâs mother! In canon she loses her leg during the KyĆ«bi attack, hence the parallel here. I donât get to write her much, so I thought Iâd take the opportunity n_n
   Welp...just one more prompt to go. Feeling a little burned out (since this one turned out a bit longer than most), so Iâm gonna take a break before finishing up the challenge. Iâll ramble more there. See yâall in the next one!
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[ SasuHinaMonth Day Twenty-Nine: Mafia AU ]
[ @sasuhinamonth ]
[ Uchiha Sasuke, Uchiha Fugaku, Hyƫga Hiashi, Hyƫga Hinata ]
[ SasuHina ]
[ Verse: Best Years of Your Life ]
âGet up. We have somewhere to be.â
Opening an eye to glance at his father from his comfortable perch in a lounge chair, expression tinged with obvious annoyance, Sasuke mutters, âTch...what?â
âCurb that attitude.â Adjusting his tie, the Uchiha syndicate head examines his reflection before glancing to his son. â...we have a client to visit.â
âWhatâs that got to do with me?â
âItâs good experience. Youâll have to do this someday.â
The blunt announcement only sours the young manâs attitude further. Being reminded of his brotherâs disabilities is never a good thing. â...fine,â he spits in reply. But as he moves to head toward the garage, his father grunts in disapproval.
âWeâre taking the helicopter.â
A dark brow perks, but he doesnât protest. Apparently, theyâre to make an impression. Maybe this will be interesting. â...who are we going to see?â It must be someone important, if such a means of transport is to be taken.
âYouâll see.â
They make their way to the manor roof, where the chopper is already whirring. The spinning blades throw his fatherâs hair askew, his own already a mess on the best of days. Clothes ruffle at the force of the wind until they make their way into the interior. The ground soon lurches away beneath them, and they take to the air.
Itâs early evening, the sky beginning to darken as they fly across the city. Skyscrapers and antennae obscure the skyline. Watching the passing sights, Sasuke observes each, wondering where theyâll land. Logos and symbols whizz past, until they begin to circle a pristine white building with windows that reflect the fading sun.
So...itâs the HyĆ«ga. Another large, wealthy family...but through more legitimate means than his own. The Uchiha, after all, are mostly Yakuza. The HyĆ«ga are businessmen. Though, apparently, not without a little underground help.
A few minutes later, theyâve landed, meeting an escort atop the roof. Several pale-eyed men watch them warily, thinly-veiled disgust on their faces. Fugaku largely ignores it - apparently, not everyone in the business approves of their arrangement...whatever it is.
Despite being slated as the next kumichĆ, Sasuke has yet to be fully introduced to the syndicateâs dealings. Up until recently, it was his brother who was assumed to be the next boss. But an onsetting illness has led to a shift in his fatherâs favor.
Nothing personal. Itâs just how it has to be.
Nonetheless, itâs left Sasuke with some catching up to do. For now, he has almost no idea how exactly theyâre tied to the HyĆ«ga. The Uchihaâs main commodity is protection racketing. If he had to guess, thatâs likely whatâs going on. The HyĆ«ga, apparently, havenât gotten to be so successful on their own.
This he mulls over as they make their way down via elevator, expression neutral with a tinge of aloofness. Let on that heâs a fledgling, it will only make their meeting all the harder. Itâs clear Fugaku has a message to deliver...and this, apparently, is to serve as both a lesson, and a test for his younger son.
Eventually they find themselves outside a set of double doors. One HyĆ«ga makes his way through them, and they can just hear the soft murmur of voices. Then silence...before theyâre let inside.
An ornate office is revealed, all sheer glass, cool marble, and cold steel. At a desk at the end of the room sits a man about his fatherâs age, with the same pale eyes as the others, and a head of long, chestnut hair. He looks to them with an expression as unfeeling as his surroundings. â...Uchiha-san. What a...pleasant surprise.â
Regarding the man with a heavy brow, Fugaku doesnât return the sentiment. âYour payment is late, HyĆ«ga. I was concerned your memory was starting to suffer. So...I made a little trek across the city to make sure youâre still in your right senses.â
Pale, thin fingers steeple, elbows atop the glass top of his desk. â...my memory fares fine. My stocks, however, do not. I am yet short of the monthly agreement. I have been assured that, within the week, this...oversight will be corrected.â
Drawing a deep breath, Fugaku releases it as an equally-deep sigh. His chin bows to his chest, making a show of his disappointment.
The other Hyƫga shift, clearly unnerved.
â...thatâs too bad. A company needs to run like a well-oiled clock. Lost time sets you back...and needs to be corrected.â
Thereâs a slight clench to Hiashiâs jaw. â...no one realizes this more than me. I assure you, Uchiha-san, that I will -â
âTime is money, and money buys time. If you lack one, you lack the other...and I canât afford to waste mine. I know of other rising companies in your field that might respect schedules a bit better, HyĆ«ga. I donât deal with those who canât keep their ends of our bargains. Need I remind you what you owe me?â
â...that will not be necessary.â
âHow is she, by the way? Your girl? What was her name...Hanako...HiromiâŠâ
âHinata. She is fine.â
âAh, good...good. No more incidents with the other syndicates?â
â...I feel you are alluding to something, Uchiha-san.â
âYou have to care for family, HyĆ«ga. You never know when it might...disappear.â
Sasukeâs eyes shift to their corners. What is he getting atâŠ?
â...your retrieval of my daughter from the Kumo faction of HokkaidĆ is still much appreciated, Uchiha-san. But that is not all I pay you for.â
âNo, itâs not. You pay for protection, HyĆ«ga. Assurance that those who would compete with you meet...unfortunate pitfalls that drop them out of the economic running. Failing negotiations, lost funds...and the occasional disappearance of important personnel. But...I canât provide my services if you donât provide the money. A weekâs delay in my business could be a week spent acquiring new clients. Clients who, incidentally, might force my hand to begin taking from you, instead. And surely...neither of us want that. But money talks, Hiashi. So...can I expect my money by midnight? Or should I go ahead with my arranged meeting with another medical equipment manufacturer I have scheduled for tomorrow morning at nine am?â
A tense silence falls.
â...tell me, HiashiâŠâ Fugakuâs dark eyes stare into the HyĆ«gaâs pale ones. â...when was the last time you checked in on your daughterâŠ?â
No reply.
âThose socialite friends of hers surely keep her up late...but Iâd hope she gets home by midnight. The cityâs a scary place at night.â With that, the kumichĆ turns his back on his client, making his way to the door with a nod to his son. â...keep my advice in mind, HyĆ«ga. I recommend getting your schedule back in order. I, at least, plan to stick to mine.â
Sasuke follows as his father returns to the elevator. No Hyƫga bother to show them the way back. The blades spin as they make their way to the roof.
âSo...learn anything?â
â...I think so. But what was all the fuss about the girl?â
Fugaku only replies once theyâre in the chopper. â...when she was young, very young...an up-and-coming faction in the north kidnapped his daughter, intended to hold her for ransom. This was during the early days of our arrangement. As a show of good faith, I sent one of our boys to retrieve her, and it went off without a hitch...unless you count his twin brother dying in the raid. Fool went in to try and negotiate. Things got dicey, and he ended up a casualty. Not that it mattered - Hiashi was more concerned about keeping the company in his family, so a dead brother was actually preferable to a dead daughter. Hizashi, his twin, has a son. A bit more appealing to a board of trustees, but...heâs less direct now than Hizashi would have been.â The Uchiha smirks. â...a handy bargaining tool. Hiashi has one other daughter, but sheâs less appealing - headstrong, brash...already has a questionable public image. A board would rather have Hinata, whoâs meek and easy to manipulate.â
â...andâŠ?â
â...and she may be joining us for dinner while her father arranges his monetary affairs tonight.â
Sasuke blinks. His father certainly knows how to keep all the cards...something heâd best learn quick.
When they return, they descend to the entryway. There, flanked by two burly Uchiha, is the young woman in question. Despite the tinge of fear in her eyes, she holds herself steady, head held high.
â...HyĆ«ga Hinata-san,â Fugaku rumbles. â...a pleasure to see you. How youâve grown since we last met.â
She gives no reply.
âDonât worry - I expect youâll be back home within a matter of hours. Your father just needed a little...motivation to get his work done tonight. Until then, youâre my guest. Iâd never dare harm a lady, no matter her fatherâs behavior. Please...Iâm sure dinner is ready by now.â Fugaku gestures. âI doubt you remember my son, Sasuke. You were both fairly small when we brought you back from HokkaidĆ. Heâs done his share of growing up, too.â
Her pale eyes move to him, and the pair study one another silently. Heâll admit...sheâs pretty. Not overly done-up like so many women her age tend to be...yet elegant. And despite her obvious nerves...itâs clear thereâs a fire there.
Even if neither of their fathers seem to see it.
âCome - we canât let the meal get cold.â Fugaku motions for them to follow.
Giving her companions a glance, Hinata moves forward without them, instead positioning herself beside Sasuke.
â...best do what the old man says. Consider it a break in whatâs certainly your lifeâs monotony.â
At that, she gives him a questioning look...but doesnât refute him.
âAfter all, how often do you get to dine with the head of mafia and not have to fear for your life?â
   Word count: 1650
   Cumulative: 39,436
   This was actually a lot more fun to write than I thought it would be xD Admittedly, I know very little about the Yakuza, so...I scoured the Wikipedia page about them, and...did my best, lol
   Sadly I donât have a verse for this, so this one is the closest I have. Though this might be one I revisit with this and other characters. Weâll see! But for now, this is all Iâve got in me for tonight. I want to do the last two all tomorrow, but I donât know if Iâll have the time. Either way, Iâll do my best to finish up the last two prompts as quickly as I can manage!
   For now, later yâall!
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[ SasuHinaMonth Day Twenty-Eight: Bloodlines ]
[ @sasuhinamonth ]
[ Uchiha Sasuke, Hyƫga Hinata ]
[ SasuHina ]
[ Verse: A Light Amongst Shadows ]
He used to think bloodlines were the pinnacle of importance. Sasuke was a proud Uchiha - is a proud Uchiha - and that will likely never change. Faith in his lineage didnât waver after the massacre - after his battle with Itachi. Not after learning the truth, or changing his plans of revenge from his brother to the village he was born. The war didnât shake it, even after seeing his so-called past life incarnate in Madara, and his foolishness. Meeting Itachi again, post mortem. Even now, with the few scraps left of his family he has, Sasuke bears both his name and his crest with pride.
...but he will, admittedly, make concessions.
When he first had his now-bygone dreams of single-handedly restoring his clan, heâd known there were no Uchiha women left with which to do so. Of course, his priorities shifted a bit as he went through his struggles - anything concerning children would have to wait...possibly a good many years, especially when he really knew of no suitable partners with which to carry out such ambitions.
Of course now, heâs not alone as he thought heâd be. And his lingering doubts in his abilities to have a proper relationship after all heâs been through still whisper at him at times.
But she helps drown them out: his unexpected, but unequivocal second half in all things, now. Friend, partner, wife. Once Hyƫga, now Uchiha, Hinata.
Never did he think the quiet wallflower of their Academy would catch his eye. Not after her ardent following of his rival, or his own repulsion of all girls by default when young. Their constant carrying on and ignoring his boundaries had soured him to them all...though, if heâd given her the chance, perhaps heâd have found her...tolerable back then.
But it wasnât until the alliance of their clans, and the blooming relationship between their friends, that the two had any reason to cross paths. The latter was more happenstance...while the former hadn't exactly been his idea, nor a plan heâd been fond of. But, in the end, the HyĆ«ga clanâs help has been irreplaceable...if not still a blow to his pride.
Still, he recognizes that the other line is just as noble as the Uchiha. They, too, come from the moon rabbit goddess, as sheâs called. Distant relatives, really. Maybe, in a way, the most logical for an Uchiha to bond with outside of his own clan.
But he hadn't had any of those intentions when they met. She, to him, was mostly just another HyĆ«ga. A classmate, friend of his brotherâs wife, companion of his teammates to varying degrees...but otherwise, a total stranger, all things considered. Theyâd never really spoken as children...and heâd spent his teen years far from Konoha, and any inkling of befriending any more of its shinobi. It wasnât until his return he had the chance to run into her.
And now...here they are.
All of this he mulls over early this particular morning, as heâs wont to do now and again...mostly due to the lingering disbelief that heâs found the happiness he has now. True, theyâve not been married long now - just a few months. But the slow build of their bond - with so few pretenses, like some of the others he has - has been something heâs actually enjoyed watching grow...even if maybe he didnât realize it at first.
Sheâs on her left side, facing him with closed eyes and soft breath. Dark lashes rest against her cheeks, lips ever so slightly parted as she breathes in the early morning quiet. The lilac strap of her nightgown has slipped from her shoulder, draped over the soft skin of her upper arm. Every so slightly curled, she seems oblivious to his museful staring.
Thereâs a hint of a lift to Sasukeâs lips as he watches her. A few years ago, a vision like this - regardless of the woman before him - would never have crossed his mind...nor seemed possible. Nor this sense of peace. Calm. Happiness. Heâd given all those feelings away in trade for determination, drive, and a singular goal.
And now, all of his priorities have shifted. He has a home - one heâs striving to protect, and better. Konoha has its share of problems, but he wonât rest until it - and all his brother has sacrificed for - resembles something worthy of that sacrifice.
He has a family - more than he ever dreamed heâd have after the massacre. Something he wonât ever take for granted.
And now...he has a wife. Someone whoâs pledged to stay by his side, through thick and thin, with a pretenseless love for him. Not his image, his strength, his lineage. Just...Sasuke.
For now, heâs no plans for children. They have their work to do, and he still feels ill-prepared. In terms of skills, and in stability. He still questions his ability to be...normal. After everything the prior avenger has done, and faced...part of this still feels like a dream. Like heâs on the verge of waking up.
â...SasukeâŠ?â
Broken from his thoughts, Sasuke blinks to see Hinata looking to him, gaze soft as she continues to wake up. â...morning.â
âGood morning.â Shuffling slightly, she manages to plant a kiss against his brow, working her way forward to accept an embrace. âYou look troubled.â
âJust thinking.â
âMm...you do that a lot.â
âI have a lot to think about.â
She gives a soft laugh, and the sound warms his chest. âYesâŠI guess you do. Anything you want to talk aboutâŠ?â
âMm...no.â Thereâs a pause as she senses he has more to say. â...just...reminiscing.â
â...aboutâŠ?â
â...this. All of...this. It still seems strange.â
âIâm sure it does...you lived so differently for so long. Itâs an adjustment, even now.â She tilts her head to look at him. â...are you worried about anythingâŠ?â
That earns a dry chuckle. âMore than you probably know. But...weâll talk about it later.â Ducking his head, Sasuke buries his nose in her hair, letting mismatched eyes close as he takes a deep breath of her scent. â...for now, I just...want this.â
Hinata softens in his grip. â...we can do this.â Thereâs a slight adjustment of her posture, settling more comfortably against him. âWe still have time before we need to get upâŠâ
He smiles. âNot getting lazy, are weâŠ? The best way to keep a schedule is diligently.â
âMm...as important as work is, youâre more important. Once you feel up to it...weâll get up.â
Not expecting the reply, Sasuke half-opens his eyes, quieting slightly.
âThough...I suppose we should leave time to make breakfastâŠâ
âWe can always get something on the way.â
Her lips draw into a small pout. âBut we have perfectly good food hereâŠâ
âAnd thereâs perfectly good food elsewhere, too. Relax, Hinata. One meal out wonât break the bankâŠâ
âNo, butâŠâ
âShhh,â he urges, nuzzling against her scalp. âNo more discussion.â
She canât help a little giggle. âOh...all right. You win.â
âI always win.â
â...you might regret saying that later. A HyĆ«ga suffers from pride just as much as an Uchiha, sometimes.â
So, it's to be a battle of bloodlines, is it? âHm...Iâll take my chances.â
   Word count: 1210
   Cumulative: 37,786
   Well, this one feels a little...bland. The theme felt a little repetitive in regards to some of my earlier entries for the month, so...I tried to put a little twist on it. Not sure if it panned out xD
   Either way, another day down...and still another day behind. Oh well. Weâll get there when we get there lol
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[ SasuHinaMonth Day Twenty-Seven: Indigo Children ]
[ @sasuhinamonth ]
[ Uchiha Sasuke, Hyƫga Hinata ]
[ SasuHina ]
[ Verse: A Light Amongst Shadows ]
Ask any decent sensor, and theyâll tell you: every personâs chakra is a unique shade. And rather than being dependent on their most prominent elemental nature, it seems to be more derived from a personâs overall character. Personality, actions, mood and temperament.
While not obvious to all, those with dĆjutsu can also - to varying extents - see these aura-like colors.
Sasuke has never given the fact much thought. Of course heâs noticed - hard not to, wielding the Sharingan as he does. It boils down, then, to an apathy of the subject. Itâs never served him much purpose beyond being able to identify who a person is when his eyes are active. Things tied to a person like that - much like astrology or supposed future readings - all feel like pointless, baseless things to waste time on. Saying that colors can determine a person's traits â or, perhaps, the reverse â seems a little too much like superstitious nonsense to him.
His own is a sort of...indigo color. A blue-purple thatâs fluctuated slightly as more one than the other at different points of his life. Another aspect heâs not attributed to much. Narutoâs, for example, is dual toned. At some points it shows a brilliant blue, others a fiery orange...which, he suspects, is more Kuramaâs doing than the Uzumakiâs. Sakuraâs is a bright green. Kakashiâs is a cool, blue-tinged grey. Itâs never meant much to him before.
At least, not until now.
âSee anything?â
Byakugan active, Hinata scans the empty building supposedly hiding a serial thief. â...second floor. Their chakra looks agitated...they know weâre here.â
âDoesnât matter. Theyâre not about to overtake us. Iâll take point - you can see any possible exits better than I can.â Sasuke doesnât even bother uncovering his Rinnegan, instead just drawing a tantĆ. Their thief is supposedly armed, so something to block with is probably prudent.
Not that your typical run-of-the-mill pickpocket is likely much of a threat.
Hinata takes a rear route, Sasuke making his way through the front. Sharingan activating, he can vaguely see their off-yellow chakra through the ceiling. Itâs not much of a pool - he doubts theyâre capable of much, if any, actual jutsu. Likely just someone trained in a bit of taijutsu and bukijutsu to scrape by nicking wallets.
Hence their warrant for arrest.
Itâs clear theyâve turned this little hovel into a home - thereâs signs of the abandoned space being lived in. Most, however, is on the second story: a bedroll, cooking lamp, and a bag tossed willy-nilly in a corner.
Approaching the proper room, he senses Hinata outside, ready to cut off an escape route through a window. With a kick, he bats the already-loose door from its hinges.
The thief holds a rusted kunai in a shaking hand, pointing at him. âS-stay back!â
The Uchiha is hardly impressed. âDrop the weapon, and save us both a little time and effort. Youâre under arrest for several counts of thievery. Come in quietly, and I wonât have to drag you back to the station by your scruff.â
The young man ignores his offer, backing up to the rear, outer wall...up against an open window.
Mistake.
Knowing Hinata will take the opportunity, Sasuke just has to stall. âYouâre hardly in any shape to take someone like me down. We can avoid the violence if you just -â
âGyah!â
Stiffening, the arrestee collapses, twitching slightly. Clinging to the windowsill, Hinata retracts a flattened palm. Her JĆ«ken strike to the back was enough to lay him out, chakra points blocked and leaving him immobile.
Sheathing his blade, Sasuke sighs. âWell that was easy.â
Hinata hops through the window. âCertainly could have been worse.â
âMm.â Looking to his partner, Sasuke starts to speak, but stops as he notices something. Up until now, heâs not really looked to her fully with his kekkei genkai active.
Funny...her chakra looks pretty close to his color. Maybe a bit more on the purple side compared to his bluer shade, but...how has he not noticed that until now?
âWe should get him back - his chakra points should start unlocking in about half an hour.â Itâs then Hinata turn to look at him, brow furrowing slightly at his expression. â...what?â
â...nothing.â His iris fades back to black. â...youâre right. Letâs get moving.â
They take him back to the precinct, Sasuke giving a lower ranked recruit some practice interrogating the man. It takes a little while, but eventually he fesses up to a career of pickpocketing.
âLook - thereâs not a lot of work for civilians anymore! All these shinobi retiring after the war are taking up all the decent jobs. And they've all got their freaky ninja skills, it's not fair! I either steal, or I starve!â
âWeâre all adjusting to our changing world, but thereâs no room in it for behavior like that.â Sasuke closes the door of the manâs holding cell. âYouâll have your trial in a week or two. Until then, I suggest you start brainstorming ways to improve after you get out.â
Arms loosely folded beside him, Hinata gives her partner a glance. â...he does have a point, you know,â she offers as they take their leave, walking beside him. âThereâs been a shift in the balance of work lately.â
âThen the village needs to find ways to get its people employed, if theyâre able-bodied and minded. Taking what isnât yours is a mindset Konoha doesnât need.â
âI agree. But people are desperate.â
âWell...for now, this is our job. At least now heâs got a roof over his head that doesnât leak, and three meals a day. Then we can get him rehabilitated, and he can start over after heâs had time to mull over his actions. Weâre not about to lock him up and throw away the key for something so minor. He just needs time to reflect.â
Hinata only half-listens. â...Iâll have to talk to Hanabi and see what she thinks. Maybe the clans should ask for a meeting about this. We might be able to brainstorm more ideas to help ensure shinobi don't hurt the civilian work trade.â
Watching her as she thinks, Sasuke canât help but let his Sharingan flicker back. The same indigo shade meets his eye, though now brighter as she concentrates, the motion through her system quicker and more concentrated around her brain.
â...Sasuke-kun?â
âHm?â
âUmâŠâ She hesitates. âWhy are you...using your SharinganâŠ?â
âWatching your chakra.â
âW...why?â
Well, he might as well explain now that heâs been caught. âI noticed yours is a similar shade to mine. Made me curious.â
â...oh!â His answer seems to take her aback. âI noticed that too, a few weeks ago. Though yours is more...blue. And maybe a little...darker?â She smiles. âI think it suits you.â
â...yeah? Yours too.â Itâs hard not to think of purple when picturing the HyĆ«ga. She wears it, her hair is a deep violet shade, and even her eyes have a tinge of lilac to them.
âDo you ever believe in they say about chakra color and personalities?â
âNo. At least, Iâve never thought about it. Seems like nonsense to me.â
Hinata laughs softly into a hand. âI had a feeling youâd say that. I guess Iâm not sure, but...maybe it explains why we get along so well, ne?â
â...hn. Maybe.â Moving forward, he hears her jog to catch up.
He doesnât want to admit, he thought the same thing.
   Word count: 1259
   Cumulative: 36,576
   Woo, one more down! Iâll admit, the more technical definition of indigo children wasnât really one I wanted to work with due to its negative connotation with mental illness (aka being a âmagicalâ explanation for real conditions, which allows some parents to then skip treatments that would likely help a child). So, I took a bit of a twist on it and referred it to chakra colors!
   A Karin RP blog I follow has been headcanoning about sensors and chakra colors recently, so that also helped serve as some inspo :3 Indigo can refer to a variety of shades of purple to blue, and I see Hinata as more purple and Sasuke as blue, so it fits fairly well! Even if Sasuke might not believe it. I see him as a little skeptical when it comes to things like this x3
   Anyway, Iâm still not 100% caught up - I hope to be before this all ends, at any rate! Iâll admit...Iâm sad this is almost over, but also a bit relieved. Iâve maintained a good average word count, so Iâm proud of my work! And Iâm super stoked yâall seem to be enjoying them! But Iâm also feeling a little burnt out, especially with other projects currently going on ^^; But Iâll save being sappy for the last day. Just happened to be thinking of it today - only four more drabbles to go!
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[ SasuHinaMonth Day Twenty-Six: Coffee Shop AU ]
[ @sasuhinamonth ]
[ Uchiha Sasuke, Hyƫga Hinata, Uchiha Itachi ]
[ SasuHina ]
[ Verse: Best Years of Your Life ]
If thereâs one thing an intern needs...itâs copious amounts of caffeine.
Sasuke doesnât even understand why heâs in this position. It feels like nothing more than his father testing his patience. Four years of business school apparently wasnât enough. Now he has to fill in as an intern at his familyâs company.
Experience in the real world, his father says.
Yeah, right. Labor without pay is more like it. Sure, he didnât have to pay for his education (so long as he fell in line and took the right major and went crawling back to dad once his years at university were up). But now that school is over and heâs officially out on his own...Sasuke has bills to pay. Rent to cough up.
And coffee to buy.
Hence why, every morning since graduation and moving back to his home city, Sasuke finds himself in line at the coffee shop nearest the companyâs front doors. Itâs a chic little place at the bottom of a two story building. Apparently the owner lives upstairs...not that Sasukeâs paid much attention.
Mostly because heâs practically a zombie whenever heâs in here. Walk in, order, pick it up, leave. One black coffee, large, and two plain bagels with little packages of cream cheese. Every day, for...three weeks now. And probably for...a lot longer than that to come. Fugaku promised that once his three months are up - those that would typically be a Summer break - heâll be fully employed...given that he performs well enough. So, odds are, heâll be here every day for...well, who knows. But likely a very, very long time.
He better damn well hire me...who doesnât hire their own son? Especially after putting me through so many hoops...this is such bull-
âGood morning!â
Dragging dark eyes (with even darker circles) up, Sasuke blinks. Thereâs...a new girl at the counter. And unlike himself, she sounds entirely chipper. Large pale eyes look to him jovially, complete with a smile that dimples her cheeks.
...cute.
Sheâs wearing the little bakeryâs logo on a hat to match her apron, beneath which her dark hair is (mostly) contained. A fringe peeks out beneath the bill, a few wisps too short to be contained framing her face.
â...morning.â
âHow can I help youâŠ?â
âLarge black coffee. Two plain bagels. Cream cheese.â Pause. â...please.â
âOf course! Give me just a minute.â Scurrying to fill his order, the young woman bustles about quickly, a bit hesitant in her actions.
Yeah, sheâs definitely new.
Though perhaps a bit peeved at the usually-streamlined service having a few hiccups, Sasuke watches her with a hint of amusement. She pours the coffee just fine, but then canât seem to find the right sized lid. Bagels are slipped into a bag, complete with the cream cheese...and are then promptly dropped on the floor.
âOh! Iâm...Iâm sorry. Let me justâŠâ Clearly torn between cleaning up the mess and replacing his order, she eventually decides on the former before the latter.
By the time all is said and done, heâs been here more than twice as long as usual. Pinkened cheeks betray how flustered she is. âSorry again for the...for the mix-up.â
âDonât sweat it. Everyoneâs shaky when they first start.â Accepting his order, Sasuke gives her an exhaustion-tinged smile. âHang in thereâŠâ He looks to her name badge. â...Hinata.â
Blinking in surprise, she doesnât have a reply before he takes his leave.
Once at his desk (if he can even call it a desk), Sasuke takes a few minutes before clocking in to sip at his coffee and spread his cream cheese. Another day, another schedule of thankless tasks.
But at least he got his coffee.
The day is largely uneventful (save for a coworker being splattered with ink after engaging the printer in combat), and Sasuke makes to leave before another catches him on his way out.
âHey, sorry - we missed sending out a memo this morning, but that meeting weâre having Friday is being catered - anything in particular you want? The place needs an estimate of what to bring.â
Eyes falling to the document she gives him, Sasuke blinks at the familiar name across the top. Itâs the little bakery across the street. Well...that makes sense. And is probably why the owner has some extra help. âUhâŠâ Taking out a pen, he fills out the sheet before handing it back. âWhat time was that meeting, again?â
âEight sharp, hence it being breakfast food instead of the usual lunch. But thanks for the info - Iâll pass it along.â
âYeah, sure.â
On his way out the door, Sasuke startles a bit as someone falls into step with him: none other than his brother. âOh...hey.â
âI actually caught you for once,â Itachi teases. âSeems like youâre always out before I am.â
âWhat can I say, Iâm not eager to stay late.â
âAnd I have little choice in the matter,â the elder brother sighs. âI take it you got the catering memo?â
âYeah, end of the day. You set that up? Wasnât this meeting some deal youâve got going on?â
âItâs a presentation of my current project, yes. And I did. I thought we should use some local business, and Iâve heard good things about them.â
âThey have good coffee.â
âOh?â
âYeah, I stop in every morning. Lifesaver.â
Itachi looks a bit intrigued. â...Iâve never actually been there myself, but they have good reviews. If you give it a good rating, then it appears I made a good choice.â
âMaybe you can swing in with me tomorrow. If youâre not too busyâŠ?â
âWell...I should go in early to work on my presentation...but perhaps it would do well to speak to the owner in person. She seems pleasant.â
Thereâs an ever-so-slight lift to Sasukeâs brow, but Itachi clearly ignores it.
The next morning, he finds his brother outside, talking on the phone and hanging up before he approaches. âBusiness?â
âAs always. So, what do you recommend?â
âIâm the last person to ask: I get the same thing every morning. Besides, you like all that sweet junk.â
âMm, I do. I find a little sugar in the morning helps kickstart my engines.â
Sasuke canât help a snort. âWhatever you sayâŠâ
The interior, as always, smells like fresh baked bread. Warm, clean and inviting, it beckons them to the counter amidst a quiet spell. The same girl from yesterday stands behind it, and stiffens slightly as she recognizes him.
âHey. Remember me?â
Chin ducking, she gives a sheepish smile. âItâs...rather hard to forget. Um...are you here for the same as yesterdayâŠ?â
âYup. You better get used to me. Iâm a regular.â
âOkay! And you, sir?â She looks to Itachi.
âTwo slices of banana bread, and a medium mocha cappuccino - extra sugar. Also,â Itachi cuts in, bringing her to a stop as she moves to start their orders. âWould you mind seeing if your employer is free for a moment? Iâd like to speak to her.â
â...o-oh! Sure! Um...just a moment.â Looking a little curious, Hinata moves to the back, disappearing through a door.
âSo, you arrange everything over the phone?â
âI did. But it doesnât hurt to introduce myself now that I have the opportunity. It may make things smoother for Friday, too.â
â...mhm. Or are you just looking to charm her for extra sweets?â
âOf course not. I always pay fairly for sweets.â
Rolling his eyes, Sasuke watches as the woman in question emerges, clearly confused as Itachi engages her in conversation. Recognition, however, lights up her face once they start talking.
Leaned over the counter, Sasuke watches them from the corner of his eye as Hinata busies herself behind it. âSoâŠgetting the hang of things?â
âI think so! At least...I havenât dropped anything elseâŠâ On her way by, she gives another embarrassed smile. â...I still feel bad about that.â
âDonât worry about it.â
âStillâŠâ
Considering her for a moment, an impulse flickers through his brain...and makes its way to his tongue before he can stop it. â...how about you repay me by going to dinner?â
âI...w-what?â Pausing mid-pour, she turns to him in surprise.
...where did that come from? Too late to back out now. She is cute, at any rate⊠â...dinner. With me.â
â...but that...that doesnât pay you back. That m-makes me more in debt!â
âConsider it the value of your time.â He perks a brow. â...so, what do you say?â
âIâŠâ She blinks, clearly still taken aback. â...s-sure.â
âCool. Friday work for you?â
âOh, well...we have a catering to clean up afterâŠâ
âYou can blame my brother for that. Well...Sunday brunch instead?â
Another blink, a glance to Itachi...and then she seems to put it all together. â...oh! You mean youâreâŠ? And heâsâŠ?â A finger points. â...oh. Um...okay. We can do thatâŠ!â
Sasuke canât help a smile. âItâs a date.â
âHinata! These gentlemen are going to be late!â
âOh, s-sorry!â Finishing up their orders, Hinata hands them over, cheeks rosy. âEn...enjoy!â
Nodding, Sasuke takes his leave alongside his brother.
âSo, seems you got yourself more than breakfast arranged.â
âHowâd you notice over your own conversation?â
âItâs called multitasking. You better start practicing.â
âYeah, yeahâŠâ Sasuke shoots his brother a look. âTrust me, being bottom of the ladder as an intern is getting me plenty of that.â
âIt only gets better from here, little brother. But at least you have something to look forward to.â
âTchâŠâ
   Word count: 1613
   Cumulative: 35,317
   Another day, another prompt behind xD But this one was fun - Iâm the BIGGEST sucker for this AU. Iâve always wanted to work in a little coffee shop or bakery n_n So Iâll let myself live vicariously through Hinata for today, lol
   Poor Sasuke - interns have it rough. But now heâs got his coffee, and a lil something sweet that even he canât help but like ;3
   Anywho, sorry for yet another day behind. Iâve had a lot going on irl, and today was...some of the worst of it. But weâll see what tomorrow brings!
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[ SasuHinaMonth Day Twenty-Five: Samurai AU ]
[ @sasuhinamonth ]
[ Uchiha Sasuke, Hyƫga Hiashi, Hyƫga Hinata, Hyƫga Neji ]
[ SasuHina, blood mention ]
[ Verse: At The Beginning ]
The dust of the road settled after a light morning rain, his trek south is both quiet and calm. A gentle breeze rolls through the trees that line the mountain road, grasses churning like waves. If it werenât for the task heâs been assigned, it would be a picturesque day.
But the samurai has work to do.
An estate south of the city - large, rich, and responsible for countless rice paddies - has been suffering raids by unknown bandits. According to his father, it should be something simple for the younger of his two sons to handle on his own. A few honorless thugs stand little chance against a carefully-trained samurai.
Geta silent against the soft soil of the road, Sasuke travels with one hand resting atop one of his bladeâs hilts, the other tucked into the gaping front of his top. Dark eyes half-lidded, heâs nonetheless alert despite his lax aura. Sharp senses pique, trained for telling noises and visions. If need be, a swift draw will take him only a moment to bury steel into his foe.
But not yet.
Eventually heâs on the downward slope, and a break in the trees reveals the estate. A large manor sits atop the highest foothill, the rest tapered into terraces, fed by a river that winds between the hills. From this distance, the people tending the rice crops are like little hunched-over ants. It will still be a time before he descends to the lordâs lands. One HyĆ«ga Hiashi, once part of the landâs military, retiring to his rice paddies and rather large clan. A widower, with two daughters...and a branch family that handles most of the labor on his estate.
Being part of a large samurai clan himself, Sasuke knows of established hierarchy...but his own doesnât operate quite like this. But...itâs not his place to intervene. Heâs been hired to defend the lordâs lands. Nothing more.
The sun is high when he arrives, taking the path from the road toward the manor. Those in the paddies straighten to look to him curiously, murmuring to one another, the same word on everyoneâs tongues:
Samurai.
Ignoring them, he makes his way to the gate, a runner announcing his presence. Adjusting himself only slightly, he prepares to meet with the clan head.
âAh, you must be the Uchiha.â Hiashi speaks ahead of himself, hands in his sleeves as he approaches with a small gaggle of underlings. His gaze is hawkish, looking down his nose at the young man despite their rivaled levels of power. Soil-shade locks are greyed at his temples, lines carved into an otherwise-infallible face.
Hand still on his sword hilt, Sasuke ignores the slight and gives a shallow bow. âHyĆ«ga Hiashi-sama.â
The manâs nostrils flare slightly as he sniffs. â...as stated in my letter, I have had issues with thugs ransacking my property. We can discuss the details inside.â An arm brandishes to gesture before tucking back to his sleeves, turning and not waiting for Sasukeâs reply.
Following through the entryway courtyard, Sasuke spares subtle glances at the landscapes. Gardens of both flora and stone are well-kept, attendants seemingly in every corner. All bow, only risking glances to their guest once Hiashi passes.
Tucked away in a corner, nearly so hidden he almost misses her...is one of Hiashiâs daughters. Dainty fingers pluck blooms from obliging plants, arranged into a vase held aloft by yet another lesser HyĆ«ga. She glances up as the procession passes, and for a moment their eyes lock.
Her hair is a curtain of ink, highlighting amethyst in the sunlight and falling to a bladeâs edge along the tip of her spine. A lavender-shade kimono is tied with a baby blue obi, silk shining in the light and highlighting doves and clouds soaring across the fabric. Pale skin is without mark, eyes like newly-bloomed lilac. Round-cheeked and doe-eyed, she looks much like one of the ladies of the emperorâs court his father has described after travels to the capital.
Heâs never seen a woman so beautiful.
Sasuke, however, is thankfully a level-headed man. Heâs entranced only a moment before turning to watch Hiashiâs back as they enter the manor. Something tells him ogling the manâs daughter wouldnât make the best impression.
It would probably get him chased from the manor by a swarm of naginata-wielding Hyƫga.
Within the manor, Hiashi takes him to a table, whereupon a map of his lands is unraveled. Once the party gathers around, he gestures to the paper, a few small figures stood across it to signify the damage. â...we have been been hit mostly from the east. Our crops dismantled, and a store of tools raided and burnt. A watchman was grievously injured when he attempted to confront them. Weâve lost several paddies already to the disruption. Should we lose many more, our profits will be in danger. Whoever has targeted us must be stopped.â
Sasuke studies the diagram carefully. â...what sort of defenses do you have?â
âWe have patrols armed with kama. But admittedly...most of my men are not experienced in combat. They are mostly for show, and until now, weâve not had much trouble.â Hiashi scowls. â...unrest further south has made the people unruly. At first I thought perhaps the poor were looking to steal...but nothing is missing, simply destroyed.â
â...do you have a map of the lands around yours?â
âI do. Why?â
âAre there other rice farms nearby?â
â...not for some miles.â
âPerhaps someone has hired a few bandits to ransack you. Drive you out of business to better theirs. The less rice there is to be sold, the higher the price...and less competition.â
The HyĆ«gaâs brows furrow. â...it may be so. If you can, take a man alive. Attempt to wrest answers from him. But to me, what matters most is that the raids stop. Perhaps a show of force will deter anyone else.â
âUnderstood. The attacks surely come at night?â
âThey do. Once every week or so, but mostly at random. We know not when they will strike...only that they will.â
âIâll need to stake out the property. Wait for them to arrive.â
âYou may rest in the branch quarters. I will have a room cleared for you.â
Remembering the apparent caste system of the clan, Sasuke replies, â...that wonât be necessary. Iâll rest on the engawa. I need to be able to watch and listen, anyway.â He doesnât want to take what little they appear to have.
â...as you wish. Do you require anything else?â
âNo...beyond lodging, food, and water...itâs best you carry on as if I werenât here.â
Hiashi nods. âVery well. I will have our foreman give you a tour of the estate, as to orient yourself. A meal will be delivered this afternoon to the...engawa.â
Sasuke follows Hiashiâs suggestion, mapping out points of interest...and possible places any bandits may strike next. The afflicted fields - still early in the season - are in the process of being replanted.
âIt is even more work for the branch family,â the foreman offers when asked, brow drawn. He looks very much like his uncle, Hiashi - the son of his younger twin, upon his introduction. âAnd should we fare poorly this season, times will be lean...and it is us who will suffer before the main house.â
âHn...any other information you can offer?â
âThe watchman who was attacked said he could see little of them - it was dark, and his torch dropped when he was struck from behind. His estimate put their numbers at six, maybe eight.â Neji gives him an inquiring glance. â...do you require any help?â
âNo. Besides...you donât need any more injured to care for.â Dark eyes glance to pale. â...you sound assured. Have you combat training?â
âI do. My father, alongside his brother, were both in the army. He died saving my uncleâs life. I took up the practice in his honor. At times, I am called upon to guard Hinata-sama and Hanabi-sama. I am most proficient with a bow.â
âYour cousinsâŠ?â
âYes. Hinata, the elder, and Hanabi, the younger by five years.â As they walk, Neji asks, âWhat about you, Uchiha-san? Have you siblings?â
âOne, an elder brother. I am close only to one of my cousins...for I have many. They too are samurai of high reputation.â
âAnd yet you were sent alone?â
âI am capable. And they have their own tasks. We are often called upon.â
âI see...the samurai are said to have much influence. The emperor, they claim, is more a figurehead to their power.â
â...you wouldnât be wrong.â Finding himself feeling rather companionable with the man, Sasuke goes on. âItâs not rare for samurai men to marry women of the court...or even relations of the emperor himself. Itâs a tangled web...but I care little for it. I simply prefer to peddle my skills and make myself useful. Politics is more my brotherâs game.â
âI must wonder what it would be like. The branch HyĆ«ga have no such options. We are serfs to the main house. I am lucky: among them, I am the highest ranked. But it is still nothing to my uncle or cousins.â He gives a wry smile. â...I am simply the most useful.â
âI would offer you pity, but something tells me youâve little need of it.â
âYou would be right.â As they reach the branch barracks, Neji gestures. â...are you sure you wonât lodge inside with us?â
âI donât mean to interrupt. And wonât take anything further from you.â Despite decorum, Sasuke gives a polite decline of his head. âThank you for your help. I think I know the lay of the land well enough, now. All that must be done now...is wait. Please, tell your watchmen to be careful - donât attempt to fight them. Just make enough ruckus to draw my attention. From there...Iâll handle it.â
âIt will be done.â
Settled along the south porch of the branch quarters, Sasuke sits with his back along the wall, eagle eyes watching over the downward slope toward the paddies. As the sun sets, another branch Hyƫga brings him plain rice and miso, accompanied by matcha. Accepting with a nod, he eats in silence, still keeping watching eyes over the estate as the sky goes dark.
Along the perimeter, torches blink into being, slowly making rounds in the blanket of night. Flickering between each in an effort to see the first sign of trouble, Sasuke snicks his blade slightly as a sound emerges beside him, half-drawn and ready to strike.
Illuminated by a candle, Hinata stills with wide eyes.
â...what are you doing out here?â
Gaze trapped on his katana, it takes her a moment to look up. â...I brought you something. For luck.â
He nearly scoffs. Luck? âYou'll get the both of us in trouble if you're spotted.â
From her sleeve she draws a talisman, holding it out for Sasuke to take and clearly ignoring his warning. Once he does, he draws back his hand to reveal an omamori.
â...it was my motherâs. I know my father is paying you, butâŠâ Her head bows. â...Iâm grateful for your help to protect our home. Were you to be hurt for our sakesâŠâ
Considering the trinket for a moment, Sasuke tucks it into his sleeve. â...you donât have to worry about me, Hinata-sama. But you should get back inside, itâs not -â
He hears the shift of gravel, and without a momentâs consideration, Sasuke springs forward. Arms encircle the heiress, rolling with her as an arrow buries with a thwack into the post sheâd been knelt behind. With a draw of his blade he blocks another, pushing her behind him. âGo! Now!â
âBut -?â
âNOW!â
âHinata-sama!â Nejiâs voice sounds behind them, insisting she retreat with him as Sasuke readies his stance. Where was the patrol? How did they slip through unnoticed?
A band of eight men encircle him, armed with crude but deadly weapons. âAh, a samuraiâŠ? Seems Hiashi finally sacrificed some coin,â one rumbles.
âIâll warn you once: stand down, or Iâll cut you down.â
âYou might be a samurai...but youâre outnumbered!â
Knees bent and blade slightly lifted in its sheath, Sasuke lets a smirk grow across his lips. â...and you are outclassedâŠ!â
Falling for the insult, two men rush forward...and fall in a spray of blood. With a quick draw of his katana, Sasuke makes clean cuts to their chests, dipping the tip through their backs as they fall to finish them.
â...nextâŠ?â
Clearly more cautious now, the remaining five spread out, shifting as they consider their means of attack. Dark eyes flicker between them, watching for openings.
But before any make a move, a bolt strikes one man through the eye, whipping his head back with a cry. The rest panic, Sasuke glancing furtively behind him.
Armed with a bow, Neji already draws another arrow. âI will cover you, samurai!â
Not needing to be told twice, Sasuke takes advantage of the chaos, cutting down another bandit and parrying a second. Four down, four remain. Two take to striking at the Uchiha, the other two making to chase the HyĆ«ga, fumbling to block bolts. One crumbles as a shaft buries in his thigh, a second to the chest laying him flat. Too close to shoot the second, Neji shoulders his bow and draws a kama, twirling fighting style too fast and unpredictable to be countered. When the manâs hand is cleaved from his wrist, a strike to the throat is all it takes to finish him.
Sasuke, in the meantime, disarms one man armed with a club before beheading him in a fountain of crimson. The last, falling to his rear, makes to shimmy back. âPlease, master samurai! Mercy!â
Sword at his gullet, Sasuke considers Hiashiâs request to take one alive. â...very well. Iâll grant it.â
The man slackens...before Neji delivers a kick to his head, knocking him out cold.
â...but they wonât.â
By then, Hiashi rushes from the manor yard. âHave you done it?â
âYes, HyĆ«ga-sama. All but one bandit lay dead. Your foreman has the other tied by the branch quarters.â
He nods stiffly. â...then we may find out who sent them. My thanks, Uchiha-san.â
âItâs not just me you owe your thanks. Neji handled half of them on his own. His skill with the bow is impressive...you chose your foreman well.â
Hiashiâs jaw tightens slightly. â...it appears I have.â
Behind him, the lordâs daughters emerge. Hanabi is shielded from the gore, but Hinata peers to the samurai. They exchange a glance, but no one seems to note her rumpled state.
Neji says nothing.
â...well, I will have this...mess taken care of. Perhaps we can speak of coin in the morning, after you rest?â
âAs you wish. I will want to take my leave early. Iâve a long trek home, HyĆ«ga-sama.â
âOf course, of course.â Dismissing them, the clan head retreats, his daughters in tow. Hinata manages one last glance, and Sasuke gives her just a hint of a nod and a smile.
â...do I want to know what Hinata-sama was doing out here?â Neji asks once they leave, murmuring as he closes the distance between them.
âShe came to give me this.â Sasuke displays the charm. â...apparently it worked.â
â...I will not tell Hiashi-sama she was here. It will only enrage him. Had anyone else seen you two together, alone after dark?â The HyĆ«ga shakes his head. â...imagine the rumors.â
âI didnât even touch her,â Sasuke mutters. â...until I had to get her out of the way from those arrows. But I think Hiashi would rather her kimono get dusty than her chest impaled with a bolt.â
âMy point is that she should not have been out at all,â Neji retorts. âIt is...unbecoming of a lady of her stature.â
âThen tell her that, not me. I did nothing to warrant it!â
The pair stare at one another before the elder sighs. â...Hinata-sama is a shy, unobtrusive person. That she approached a stranger like yourself in such a way is...worryingly out of character for her.â
âI looked at her. Once. It was she who approached me. I did nothing to dishonor her.â Wiping his blade clean on a banditâs shirt, he asks, âNow, are we going to clear away the bodies, or not? Theyâre going to draw flies come morning.â
â...very well.â
Sasuke sleeps little once the task is done, washing blood from his skin in the river and replacing his stained garments. Hiashi summons him, giving him the arranged coin.
âShould I ever have need of another samurai...I know which clan to call.â
âWe appreciate your patronage, HyĆ«ga-sama.â
With the coin in his sleeve, Sasuke takes his leave, escorted by the foreman to the front gate. â...here.â
Pausing, Neji accepts the omamori. â...I do not think she will want it back.â
âItâs hers, not mine.â
âIs this how you react to every gift? Besides...last night should have been omen enough: you need it.â He holds the trinket back out.
â...fine. Iâll hold onto it for now. But sheâll get it back eventually.â
âYou make it sound like a threat.â
â...something like that.â Giving Neji a nod and a smirk, Sasuke leaves the gate behind, heading back toward the pass.
Well...now he has an excuse to see her again.
   Word count: 2929
   Cumulative: 33,704
   WELP, this ended up like...more than twice as long as usual, but I couldnât help myself xD I read over the wikipedia page about samurai to try and get a better idea about them...no idea if I wrote this very accurately, but I tried. I also donât have a verse for this, so...this is my closest stand in, lol
   Iâm still technically behind and need to do todayâs, but ngl...this one wiped me out, and I still have a lot I owe on another blog. So weâll see if I catch up or not, but I wouldnât hold my breath, lol
   Either way, hope yâall enjoyed! See ya in the next one~
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[ SasuHinaMonth Day Twenty-Four: Family ]
[ @sasuhinamonth ]
[ Uchiha Sasuke, Uchiha Itachi, Hyƫga Hinata ]
[ SasuHina ]
[ Verse: A Light Amongst Shadows ]
In the end...this is what matters most.
Heâs been home a few years now...but home refers less to where he is, and more to where they are. His family. The few scraps left of a once-mighty clan, rebuilding and growing out of the cracked, blood-soaked ground of the compound of the Uchiha. Before the war - before his last stand began - he never imagined coming back here. Instead, Konoha had been slated for destruction. Repayment for what they took from him.
But now...Sasuke takes steps forward into a future he never foresaw. Itâs not as it should be. So much is missing. And yet...thereâs more than he hoped, once upon a time, when he first felt the thirst of vengeance like rising bile in his throat.
His brother. His cousin. Itachiâs children and wife. Not the perfect ending...but enough to give him hope for a future he once thought ripped from him.
The twins are four years old already - time really is flying. More than anyone else, Sasuke is soft with them. They, he swears, will have a better future than their namesakes. The sight of them always warms his heart. New Uchiha lives, nine years after the rest were taken...or assumed to be taken.
â...do you ever think about this, Sasuke?â
Tearing his eyes from his niece and nephew, Sasuke gives his brother a questioning glance. â...what do you mean?â
âFamily.â
â...itâs all I think about.â
After a pause, Itachi chuckles, head bowing slightly with closed eyes. âNo, not in regards to what we have...I mean a branch from you. Children. A spouse.â
The younger brother stiffens slightly. â...IâŠâ
âI donât mean to sound pressuring. Iâm simply curious.â Thereâs a playful glint in Itachiâs eyes. â...that HyĆ«ga officer you partner with seems...pleasant.â
â...Hinataâs fine.â
âSasukeâŠâ
âLook, IâŠâ A hand combs back through his hair in a nervous gesture. â...I donât know if...I could do...this.â
â...thisâŠ?â
â...be a father. Or a...a husband.â
âWhy not?â
How to explain? â...I donât know if Iâm...if Iâm...stable enough for that.â
Itachiâs brows furrow. â...do you fear you would hurt them?â
âNo! I mean...I donâtâŠâ Sasuke sighs curtly. â...I would never mean to. But IâŠâ
â...youâve gone through so much,â his brother murmurs. â...I understand. At times...being hardened for so long can make being soft seem...impossible.â His gaze moves out beyond the porch on which they perch. His children squeal as Shisui mock-fights with them, over-dramatically reacting to their blows. Or...his daughterâs, at least. His son looks more concerned than enthused.
â...but just as instinctive as combat may be for us, so too is love. If you were to find someone to call your partner...Iâm sure you would do well by them. After all, if I know anything about you...you would first have to trust them implicitly. Surely, then, youâd have no reason to react poorly to themâŠ?â
Sasuke seems to brood, also watching the scene atop the grass. â...consciously, sure. But...reflexes arenât easy to tame. And Iâm...Iâm too strong to take that risk.â A palm comes to rest atop the cloth of his hitai-ate, wherein his Rinnegan hides. â...if I ever hurt them...Iâd rather die. Iâd never be able to live with myself.â The admission is quiet, a worry thatâs weighed on him since returning to Konoha.
Itâs Itachiâs turn to sigh, quiet as he mulls that over.
âAre you ever scared youâll hurt them?â
â...no.â He turns to Sasuke, looking thoughtful. â...my biggest concern is not being able to protect them. AndâŠâ A hitch, as though debating his next words. â...I worry that I...may fall into old routines. Distance myself. Manipulate them as I see fit. My ego, when I was younger, led to me often subtly driving people to ends that would suit me. I donât want that to happen...but old habits are hard to break. But, SasukeâŠâ His expression softens. â...I truly think you would do right by your family. Because...I feel that your desire to keep them safe would far outweigh your fears of doing them harm. Look at all you have done for your family. It is ingrained in you like an instinct. That, more than anything else, drives you and your actions. Therefore...Iâm certain you would never lift a hand against your family, should you choose to have one. Neither consciously, nor unconsciously. But...itâs not required of you. Not by any means. What I want most for you is to be happy. Whether that be by yourself, or with someone you come to love. That is what is most important to me. To us.â
Quiet falls between them, and Itachi lets it go unfettered, seeing the gears turning in his brotherâs mind.
...maybe Itachi is right. His last goal in life, now, is to protect what remains of his family. Surely that would come to encompass anyone else be brings into his life with intent to call them the same.
Hinata is...what is she? They spend time together, mostly due to their work with the police force. They see one another outside their rounds, but...thereâs never been any crossing of the line between friendship and...anything else. Does she even feel that way about him? Could she?
True, theyâve lamented their pasts together, and she claims she no longer holds affection for Naruto. But surely thereâs someone else. One of her teammates, maybe. After all, itâs a high statistic: teammates getting married happens more often than not. But though she mentions both Shino and Kiba often, thereâs never been talk of dating...or would she reveal that to him?
...he doesnât know how she feels.
He doesnât know how he feels.
During his most formative years - puberty, being a teen - he had entirely different goals than most. No intentions to form bonds, let alone romantic ones. His priorities had been narrowly focused on avenging those he lost. Heâs never had a relationship. Never kissed anyone...intentionally. At this point, heâs not even sure what romance is actually meant to be. He looks at his brother and his wife, and wonders if he could emulate that with someone else.
Heâs struggled over the years to reconnect with his agemates. Heâs on good terms with them all - or, at least, neutral. But none have truly stood out to him - not in that way, at any rate.
But when he thinks about it - truly considers the theory - itâs Hinata that first comes to mind. Does that...mean something? He enjoys her company. They work together seamlessly - they hardly even need to speak most days when things get intense. They just...react. Their battle chemistry developed quickly, and meshes well enough that he never has to question it. Sheâs quiet, but sweet...funny, in her own way. Unobtrusive. More often than not, they can simply sit in the silence together. Nothing else is needed but each otherâs company.
At that...he makes up his mind.
Sensing the shift, Itachi glances to him curiously, watching as he stands. â...going somewhere?â
âNeed to do something.â
âDonât be late for dinner. You can bring her, if youâd like.â
Halfway through the door, Sasuke looks back to give his brother a suspicious glower before heading back through the house.
Staring for a moment, Itachi eventually chuckles to himself, looking back just in time to see Shisui heroically collapse, his daughter standing triumphantly over his corpse.
Walking swiftly through the village, Sasuke spreads his senses, looking for her soft lilac signature. Itâs not long before he finds it, just exiting a yarn shop. Seeing him, Hinata comes up short, a bit startled. âOh!â
âHinata.â
Thereâs a blink. âUm...yes?â
For a moment he debates, letting her linger in silence with a curious tilt of her head. â...would you...like to have dinner with me?â
Another blink. Something alights in her expression, as though coming to a realization. After a pause of her own, she eventually replies, â...I...would like that very much.â
Well...itâs a start.
   Word count: 1335
   Cumulative: 30,775
   Still a day behind, but one of these days Iâll catch up xD Gotta run and get some things done, so not much to say this time around.
   Go get her, Sasuke!
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[ SasuHinaMonth Day Twenty-Three: Wounds and Scars ]
[ @sasuhinamonth ]
[ Uchiha Sasuke, Hyƫga Hinata ]
[ SasuHina ]
[ Verse: A Light Amongst Shadows ]
Slow, exaggerated kata take him around the training field. Like water he flows into each new pose, only to abruptly reach the end of a strike like a wave against a stone cliffside. Muscles ripple with each imaginary blow. Between the heat of the summer morning and the rigor of his routine, sweat glistens along his skin, breath deep but even through his nose. Already his shirt is abandoned, leaving him in pants, wrapped forearms and calves...and his modified hitai-ate that covers the Rinnegan. For now heâs barefoot, feeling the dirt shift beneath his feet. Something about it helps him solidify his stances.
He may not be a mission-taking shinobi any longer, but training his body helps maintain his mind. Itâs harder to brood when heâs focused on the ache of his muscles and the beating of his heart. And police work still takes physical effort, even if nowhere near his full capacity.
As his father always said, your body is your most basic weapon - one youâll never be without. Hone it like one.
Reaching the end of a sequence, he comes to a marble-like stop, holding a pose for a long moment before exhaling slowly. Drawing back into a relaxed stance, he bows to an imaginary instructor.
â...oh!â
Having already sensed her, Sasuke doesnât react to Hinataâs startled sound. âHyĆ«ga,â he greets, a forearm swiping at his brow, giving her a glance as he straightens.
âI...s-sorry, I didnât realize anyone was here. Iâll just -â
âIâm finished.â
â...oh.â
Taking up his shirt, he decides to reduce it to a rag for the moment, taking off another layer of sweat until the breeze wicks away the rest. Sheâs avoiding looking at him directly, and he canât help a short, curt laugh of amusement.
â...what?â
âYou always so prudish, HyĆ«ga?â
âItâs not polite to stare,â she sniffs in reply. â...and I told you, please call me Hinata. Thereâs too many HyĆ«ga for you to keep track of.â
âYou can look and not stare. Surely youâve seen a bare chest before, Hinata.â
âI realize that. And yes, I have. Are you assuming Iâm eager to see another?â
Oh, this is too much fun. Why is she so enjoyable to taunt? âMaybe Iâm offended you donât want to see mine.â
That gets her to look at him, brow furrowed and clearly confused. âI...what?â
He opens his arms in a displaying gesture, snorting as she spins back around. âIâm just saying.â
She doesnât have a retort, just staring obstinately to one side.
After a pause, Sasuke shrugs. â...all right then. Iâll just get out of your way. Unless you want a sparring partner?â
âI...wasnât planning on it.â
â...butâŠ?â
â...but, I wouldnât mind it.â She gives him another glance, looking pointedly to his sweat-drenched shirt. Apparently she knows heâs not about to put it back on.
âSorry, I donât have a spare. Unless you want to loan me yours.â
Hinata sputters, flushing red. âW...what has gotten into you?!â
âWhat do you mean?â
âY-youâre neverâŠ!â A pause, and then, â...oh, nevermind!â
He just huffs another amused snort. But when she goes oddly quiet, he pauses. â...what?â
â...I justâŠâ She seems to hesitate, gaze caught on his chest. â...thatâs...quite the scar.â
A brow perks...and then the dots connect. Ah...where Madara impaled him. Technically killed him, if only for a few moments. â...itâs from the war. From my own damn sword.â
âYouâŠ?â
âMadara took it from me. Bastard.â Hands fiddle with his shirt, which he watches with a downturned face. âApparently I was dead for a few before the sage brought me back. Naruto, too. Itâs far from the only one Iâve got, but definitely the most memorable.â
â...I seeâŠâ
âAt least itâs got a notable story behind it.â A dark eye lifts questioningly. âYou?â
âEh?â
âEvery shinobi has the scar.â
Hinata blinks, looking thoughtful for a moment before wilting. Setting aside her gear, she (to his surprise) lifts the hem of her top, turning to showcase her left side. There, just beneath her ribs, is a large, puckered scar atop the pale plane of skin. â...when Naruto-kun was facing Pein, I...tried to intervene. Buy him some time. I was caught in a jutsu and...thrown into the ground. Then stabbed with one of those strange...black rods.â
...a memory stirs. Madara had wielded rods like that. Turned Tobirama into a pincushion with them just before he -
âIt had to be healed a bit late - organs had to be tended to, first. So itâs a bit of a large scar. But as you say...it has a story.â
Stepping up, he seems to ignore her words. Instead, Sasuke considers the mark with a tilted head, fingertips reaching and feeling the rugged geography of the healed skin.
Too taken aback, Hinata doesn't rebuke him, just...watching, eyes flickering between his hand and the faraway look in his eyes.
â...bit of a foolish thing to do, wasnât it?â
âI had my reasons.â
Coming to a stop, he looks to her. Everyone in their generation, seems like, knows about her idolization of his blond best friend. But something about that revelation bothers him. A risk like that wasnât calculated, it was on an emotional impulse. Sure, heâs fallen victim to the same thing, but...this is different. Even if he canât name why. â...I guess we all do.â
Eventually her gaze breaks from his, lowering to the narrow, ropey scar sitting between his ribs. If she has to guess, thereâs likely a match along his back. Forgoing her grip on her shirt, she decides to pay him the same attention, running the pad of a finger along the ridge.
He watches without comment.
â...did it hit your heart?â
âNot sure, but Iâm willing to bet. Didnât take long to take me down.â
Slowly, Hinata lets her hand drop, eyes still trained upon the mark as she seems to get lost in thought.
â...guess weâre both just harder to kill that our enemies realize.â
â...or the medics we have are better than they know.â
â...that too.â
After a lengthy pause, the atmosphere seems to shift. âW-well...this isnât getting my training done,â Hinata offers, brow wilted and giving a small, sheepish smile. âAnd...I donât want to take up any more of your time, Sasuke-kun.â
âI wouldnât mind staying.â
âItâs all right - Iâm used to having some solo training in the mornings. It sort of...helps me focus through the day.â
Sasuke nods in understanding. âI get that.â Throwing his sweaty shirt over his shoulder, he moves to collect the few things remaining: namely his shoes and a water canteen. With that, he gives her a mock salute. âSee you around, Hy-...Hinata.â
His near-slip twitches her lips, but she doesnât comment. âJa ne, Sasuke-kun.â
âYou know...at least we made some progress.â
Hinataâs brow furrows.
âYou wouldnât even look at my chest, but you ended up touching it. Weâll break you of your prudish habits, yet.â Smirking, he easily dodges a lobbed rock.
âMy prudish habits are just fine, thank you v-very much!â
Chuckling to himself, Sasuke consents to leave her be, hiking back from the secluded training ground toward the village. Ugh, he needs a shower⊠Itching absently at his scar, he chooses to ignore the slight tingle the raised flesh still feels.
   Word count: 1242
   Cumulative: 29,440
   Well, safe to say I like this one a lot better xD Easier prompt, and a bit more touchy-feely...literally :3c
   Iâm still behind, but weâll see about catching up tomorrow. Got a lot going on on my other blog, so juggling the two things is kinda hectic. But weâll get there!
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[ SasuHinaMonth Day Twenty-Two: ANBU ]
[ @sasuhinamonth ]
[ Uchiha Sasuke, Hyƫga Hinata, Uchiha Itachi ]
[ SasuHina ]
[ Verse: A Light Amongst Shadows ]
Heâd considered the position, once upon a time. After his return to Konoha, what with his brother rejoining the corps, Sasuke thought that ANBU may have been a proper outlet. Dangerous missions, masked faces, and a direct hand in stopping the greatest threats to the village heâs determined to reshape.
...but in the end, heâs glad he didnât.
In truth, he wouldnât have minded the role. But his current path - reforming and revamping the police force - is closer to his most critical goal. That being ensuring that the village soaked in his clanâs blood stays on a better path that he and Itachi started. While his brother and the rest of the ANBU black ops confront the hidden threats, he and the rest of the police tackle that in plain sight. He interacts directly with the villagers, regaining the trust heâs lost...and rekindling his love of the village proper. Not its dark politics or string-pullers...but the people. Those who make the heart and soul of Konoha.
Besides...if he didnât...he wouldnât have met her.
Well...re-met her. They werenât the best of friends, but he knew Hinata from a young age. Hard not to as main family members of major clans, especially with their similar roots and abilities. And as the same age, theyâd attended the Academy together. But thereâd never been that push or pull toward each other then.
And in all honesty, he hasnât really intended it now, either.
Despite her prior position as heiress, Hinata is now mostly a regular HyĆ«ga clan member. Advisor to her sister alongside her cousin, sheâs mostly your typical shinobi. But when Sasuke brings forth the idea of their alliance extending into his plans to rebuild the police force, she takes the plan to heart...and signs up herself.
âYou sure this is what you want?â
âWhat do you mean?â
Sasuke nods his head toward the other gathered HyĆ«ga currently speaking with his cousin. â...this. Itâs a far cry from shinobi work, honestly.â
âWell, what about you? What makes you want to do this?â
A dark eye blinks, his Rinnegan hidden under his slanted hitai-ate. â...itâs what my family did. And I think itâs a good idea - help give the village more internal structure for law enforcement.â
âOhâŠâ Apparently she wasnât expecting that answer. â...I guess I...saw you as more of an ANBU sort.â
âYouâre not the first person to make that suggestion. And I doubt youâll be the last.â
âAre you...against it?â
âNo. I just think this will get me closer to what I want.â
âWhich isâŠ?â
...didnât he just tell her?
Hinataâs head tilts, looking to him with those pale eyes of hers. â...are those really the only reasonsâŠ?â
âWhat does it matter to you?â
âWell, if youâre going to do this...you should take it seriously. Which I can see you are. It just seems like an undertaking that would take more...motivation than that, is all. You donât owe me any answers, Sasuke-kun. But...if my clan and I are going to be working with you, shouldnât we know what weâre getting into, and why?â
He heaves a soft breath. â...itâs true, ANBU do a lot of good in keeping the village safe from the outside...but I want to do something more...internal. At first I thought that meant being Hokage, but...I donât think Iâm a leader. Not on that scale, at least. What I wantâŠâ He trails off, gathering his thoughts. â...when we dissolved the old council - took away their power - we made a huge internal change. Itâs now up to Kakashi and his administration to build on that. I guess...I want to start small. Work from the inside out. Itâs true, there will always be shadowy places and people in the hidden villages. And my brother is managing them. I could join him, trueâŠâ
Sasuke looks to the other HyĆ«ga. â...I guess I just want something more...real. More...tangible. Observable. Konoha is more than its most powerful, influential people. I could be one of them...but I want to take that and use it to work on the rest.â
Waiting to be sure heâs done talking, Hinata smiles. â...I think thatâs an admirable goal. You have a point...thereâs not a lot done on a basic level in the village. Sure, genin do bits and pieces...but most shinobi handle affairs outside Konoha. Maybe itâs time we have some dedicated to what happens inside.â
He nods...and then asks, âWhat about you? Why give up normal missions for something like this?â
âHmâŠâ Considering that for a long moment, she replies, â...I think, for reasons similar to yours. I have diplomacy training - even if Iâm not heiress anymore, it was still required of me. I know how to talk with people - ensure things go smoothly. And...civilians need that when face to face with those who uphold the law, rightâŠ?â Her lips lift. âIâm used to dealing with my clan. I think that, and my abilities, would make me a decent officer, donât you think? I can stop what happens...but also address the other details, too.
âAs for a why...I just think that will be more useful in the long run. Itâs true, we lost many shinobi in the war...but so too has the demand for us declined since the warâs end. The world is changing. Maybe roles like this are more suitable. More...important. Those like ANBU are still necessary, but...maybe someday, they wonât be.â
Sasuke gives a soft snort. âJob security it is, then?â
Hinata replies with a look.
âNot cut out for ANBU yourself, are you?â
â...no. I donât think I could do missions like that. I understand that what they do needs to be done, but...it just all feels a little beyond me. I prefer whatâs out in the open. You know?â
â...yeah.â
Silence falls for a time.
â...well, I guess itâs good weâve got our alternative, huh?â
She smiles. âIt is. Iâm excited to get started! But also a little nervous...strange, isnât it? Youâd think after a war like the last, nothing could really phase us. But...I donât know. Itâs still a little daunting.â
âHn...our scale of normal might be a little skewed after all that, but weâre still human. Still have our own doubts and fears. But youâll do fine - youâre a capable shinobi. This work might have a slightly different tone to it, but something tells me itâs right up your alley.â
âOh...well, thank you. I guess thereâs only one way to find out, huh?â
His only reply is a nod.
While the work they garner in the months that follow is nothing as prestigious or respected as others, the pair find themselves immersed in just what they wanted. Itâs not long before the new police force builds a shining reputation, the combined clansâ efforts rewarded as civilians and officers foster a mutual respect and camaraderie. Konohaâs streets have scarcely been safer, nor its people as content.
âIt looks like the UHPF is doing fine work.â
Turning to his brother, Sasuke lifts a brow. âHeard that, did you?â
âI did indeed.â
âFunny, never hear much about yours.â
Itachi chuckles, ruffling Sasukeâs already-untameable locks. â...I think thatâs as it should be, donât you think?â
â...guess youâre right.â
   Word count: 1222
   Cumulative: 28,198
   Blugh, this prompt gave me trouble. While I do like the idea of Sasuke in ANBU, I donât really have a verse for it, nor Hinata. So I struggled with how to incorporate this prompt. Tbh Iâm...not too fond of this piece, but it had to get done. Iâm already behind OTL So, apologies if that sort of came through in the writing, but I donât think I could have done much better with this particular prompt =/
   Probably wonât get todayâs piece done today - too much to do otherwise, on top of a headache. But Iâll do my best to catch up when I can~
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[ SasuHinaMonth Day Twenty-One: Parallels ]
[ @sasuhinamonth ]
[ Uchiha Sasuke, Hyƫga Hinata ]
[ SasuHina ]
[ Verse: A Light Amongst Shadows ]
He never really had a chance to notice just how similar they are. And not just as individuals...but in their circumstances. But as he spends more time with the Hyƫga, the more Sasuke finds himself surprised at their parallels.
âSo your father wasnât keen on you, either.â
Before she can stop it, Hinata gives a soft, flat laugh. â...thatâs...one way to put it.â Thereâs a pause as she sips her tea, a pained, faraway look in her eyes for a moment.
Theyâre tucked in a little cafe, rain pelting against the window beside them. Sheâd already been here, enjoying an afternoon off, when he picked the first door to escape the downpour. After ignoring all the odd looks, heâd found the one truly familiar face and taken a seat. After a curious blink, sheâd simply gone back to her book before they started tentative conversation.
â...he was disappointed in my...lack of drive. I was a very timid child.â Her lips flicker into a humorless smile. âAs Iâm sure you and everyone else noticed.â
âHn.â
â...when Hanabi was born, we lost our mother. I have to wonder if he took that as some...twisted sign that she would be stronger. From the beginning he pitted us against each other. When we were young, we still remained friends, but...after I lost my title, it was...strained for a time.
âBut eventually I decided to forgo impressing my father, and simply work on impressing myself. Lo and behold...my improvement accelerated.â
Sasuke gives just a hint of a nod. â...Itachi was always better than me. Our father put a lot of pressure on him from a young age. Add in his brilliant mind, he was a perfect heir from the get go. I was just a spare. Not paid attention to until Itachi began distancing himself before the coup.â
Unable to help a small flinch, Hinata has no reply save for, â...itâs a cruel thing, but...itâs also how bloodlines survive. I just wish it wasnât still such a focusâŠâ
âTimes are changing. Maybe clans will follow suit.â
âNeji-nÄ«san was always the genius of our family...which made it all the more shameful he was branded.â Hinata expression hardens. â...it made me hate the seal. I always planned on eliminating it once I became clan head, but...Iâm glad he and Hanabi are working together to stop it.â
â...he hated you for a time, didnât he?â
â...he did. But it was born more out of his hate of the clan system. After the chĆ«nin exams, we grew much closer. He helped trained me. Which is why...it was so hard to lose him. He truly is my brother. Iâm...beyond grateful for every day heâs had returned.â
â...I know the feeling. Itachi and I...well, you know as well as anyone what happened between us. But now weâve got our second chance.â
â...funny how that happened.â
â...guess it is.â
The pair of them go quiet for a time, both silently pondering the mirrored circumstances.
â...I feel bad, only learning so much of this now,â Hinata muses quietly. âMaybe...we could have been closer when we were younger, if only weâd known.â
âHindsight is always twenty-twenty.â
Light eyes drop to the table, somber. â...you always seemed so...closed off. And I saw how the other girls bothered you. I didnât...want to contribute to that.â
â...well, I appreciate the sentiment.â Itâs Sasukeâs turn to give a flat grin. âI had plenty of nagging girls to deal with. Still do, on occasion. But most of them also think Iâm unhinged. So at least thatâs helped it die down.â
Hinataâs brow furrows. â...I donât understand how anyone can be so...insensitive that way. Youâve been through so much...all of that trauma would leave anyone changed and scarred. The fact that you lived through all you did makes you strong.â
He considers her quietly. â...do I scare you?â
â...no.â
âI asked Sakura that the other day. She flinched, but said no. I hate it when people lie to my face. Iâd rather have a hard truth than a soft lie.â A pause as he broods over his tea. â...granted, I did...horrible things to her. I just wish she would accept that and treat me as I deserve rather than still try to act like weâre still the kids we were.â
Silence falls for a time as Hinata mulls that over. â...itâs true, youâve done bad things in pursuit of what you thought were the right goals. People shouldnât...forget that. But nor should they write you off completely - itâs not like youâre unable to change. After all, how you handled the council was honestly impressive. Iâm not sure I could have kept my temper as well as you did, facing the people who called for the massacre.â
Sasuke stares at the woodgrain of the table. â...it was a long time ago now.â
âBut -!â
âAll I wanted was to be sure it wouldnât happen again. My brother gave everything for this village. And I want it to become a village worthy of that sacrifice. Losing my temper would only have discredited us further. I couldnât do that.â
â...well...I still admire you for it, Sasuke-kun.â
â...speaking of, how are things in regards to your clan council? Iâm sure talks with them have been pleasant.â
Hinataâs nose quickly wrinkles. â...theyâve been obstinate. All in the name of tradition.â Thereâs a curt sigh through her nose, eyes closing as she reins in a spark of temper. â...but I wonât get into that now. Slowly, weâre gaining ground. The seals canât be removed - not like Nejiâs was, itâs too exhausting. Thereâs too many. But soon, we hope to have a total ban on it being implemented. I want the records of them and their application destroyed, butâŠâ Another sigh. â...we need them to study, to see if thereâs another way to remove them thatâs not so costly. But none of us - myself, Neji, or Hanabi - are ever permitting their use again.â
âHowâs your father handling it?â
â...fairly well. He feels great guilt after Nejiâs ordeal. Itâs finally fully sunken in what his brother did, and what Neji did: taking their duties and molding them with choice rather than force. Heâs been standing with us to help get the practice shelved.â
âGood.â
They fall into another bout of companionable quiet.
â...you know...I think out of all of our classmates, I can stand you the best.â
She blinks, clearly taken aback. â...Iâm...glad.â
Chin cupped in a hand, Sasuke stares through the rain-slicked pane to his right. â...Iâm tired of everyone walking on eggshells around me. You donât do that. You just...treat me like anyone else.â
â...well, if weâve learned anything today, itâs that we have our similarities. Maybe I just...understand you in a way the others might find...difficult. But surely Naruto-kunâŠ?â
âTchâŠâ Sasuke scowls, eyes closing. â...heâs my best friend. We understand each other, yeah. But thereâs still a lot of subtleties he misses. Both in general, and...in regards to me. And heâs obnoxious.â
Hinata canât help a quiet giggle, stifling it in a palm. â...heâs very boisterous. Kiba-kun is the same way. He can be a little...exhausting, but heâs still a dear friend.â
â...I can tell even he has his doubts. We might have settled things after the war...but he knows Iâve still got a lot to work on. At least he seems to know itâs nothing he can help with. Not like how heâd probably want to. His boundless enthusiasm and positivity only gets so far.â
She gives a soft but weary smile. â...you have a point. Not everything is that...simple. Some things require a more delicate touch. A bit more...finesse.â
Sasuke huffs a small, humorless laugh. âAt least someone gets it.â
â...well, I know Iâve said so already, what with our clans allying while the Uchiha find their feet again, butâŠâ Hinata gives him a warm, genuine smile. â...anything you need, you can ask me for, Sasuke-kun. Weâre friends, and...if thereâs something I can do to help ease your burdens after all youâve faced, then...please, do let me know.â
His one visible eye slides to glance to her, surprise at the gesture hidden with practiced neutrality.
â...Iâll keep that in mind.â
   Word count: 1391
   Cumulative: 26,976
   Phew, finally caught back up! Sorry for the delays - lifeâs been kickinâ my butt!
   I adore the subject of parallels between these two These two posts are some that I think illustrate some of the big ones. So much wasted potential between these two to interact in canon. But hey, thatâs what fanfics like these are for ;3
   Anywho, Iâve got some more writinâ to do, so Iâll stop my notes here. Hope yâall enjoyed!
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[ SasuHinaMonth Day Twenty: Old Clans/New Clan ]
[ @sasuhinamonth ]
[ Uchiha Sasuke, Hyƫga Hinata ]
[ SasuHina ]
[ Verse: A Light Amongst Shadows ]
â...I have a random question.â
âHn.â
Taking that as a signal to go on, Hinata collects her thoughts for a moment as they lounge in bed. â...um...which clan do we...call ourselves?â
âWhat do you mean?â
âWellâŠâ Shuffling, she turns in Sasukeâs loose grip to face him with a slight frown and furrow to her brow. â...because...weâre both part of very specific bloodlinesâŠ? I mean...I might be called Uchiha now, but...Iâm still a pure-blooded HyĆ«ga. SoâŠâ
Sasuke blinks mismatched eyes. â...I guess I assumed Uchiha. I might not have much of a clan left, but...thereâs still enough to be called a clan.â
â...but -?â
âTrue, prominent bloodlines donât often mix, but...it still has to just be one or the other. And I guess since you took my clanâs name, live in my clanâs compound...itâd be Uchiha.â
Lips pout. â...what if we have a child with the Byakugan?â
âTheyâd still have Uchiha blood.â
âAnd HyĆ«ga!â
âWhat, you want to make a new clan? My brother didnât marry a HyĆ«ga.â
âWell, no...but stillâŠâ
âIf you wanted to stay a HyĆ«ga, you should have married a HyĆ«ga.â
Hinata makes a sound of protest at his deadpan remark. â...we could be the...Hyuchiha.â Jumping as Sasuke coughs, it takes her a moment to realize heâs choking on a laugh.
âThatâs ridiculous, Hinata.â
âI justâŠ!â She huffs a sigh. â...I donât know.â
âYou donât want to be an Uchiha?â
âThatâs not it. I donât think thatâs it? I donât know!â
âYouâre making a mountain out of a molehill.â An arm slings over his eyes. â...look. Thereâs a lot more HyĆ«ga than there are Uchiha. So how about, to make things fair, we say Uchiha.â
âBut I donât look like an Uchiha -?â
âNeither does my brotherâs wife. JustâŠâ Sasuke heaves a heavy sigh. â...call yourself whatever you want. But we canât just...make a new clan. Besides, if you think about it, we already were, in a way, one clan. Weâre both branching bloodlines from the Ćtsutsuki. And no, weâre not calling ourselves that, either,â he adds preemptively.
âI wouldnât want that name, anyway.â
Considering her for a few moments, he asks, â...what brought this on in the first place?â
âI donât know...it was just a passing thought the other day.â She turns until she stares up at the ceiling with pale eyes. â...I guess...I just wonder what your clanâs future is.â
âHn...so do I. There arenât any pure-blooded Uchiha women, so...we just have to make due. If anything...I guess integrating with the HyĆ«ga line does make the most sense. I canât really know how the genetics will react, but...given our shared roots, Iâd guess theyâd have the best chance to keep mine going, at least in relative terms.â He mimics her stance. â...I donât know if thereâs much future for the bloodline. The kekkei genkai. But honestly, Iâm not too worried about that. Something tells me the others arenât either.â
â...oh?â
â...our line has known a lot of sorrow. Our very abilities have grown to feed off of it. Do we really want something like that to keep going? The Sharingan is, admittedly, a rarely-paralleled tool in battle. But thereâs hope that this future wonât have as much violence or war as the past. The fourth was meant to be the end of it all, one way or another. Thereâs a lot of talk of what it means to be a shinobi without war...without an enemy. Sure, there will always be bad people to fight. But as time goes on...if we truly do change...what will that mean for shinobi? Bloodlines? Kekkei genkai?â
Hinata gives him a glance. Apparently this has been on his mind before...in much more serious ways than hers.
â...when I was young, I dreamed about reviving my clan. I know now thatâs not really possible without resorting to some serious inbreeding. And I want my family to be healthy above all else. Happy.â Itâs his turn to look to her. â...the Uchiha are less of a clan, now...and more just a family. Call yourself a HyĆ«ga if you want. The only other title I hope youâll want to keep is that of being my wife.â
Unbidden, Hinata feels tears spring up along her lids, stiffening slightly as emotion overcomes her.
â...why are you crying? Please donât cry...itâs too early for crying, Hi-â
Rather than reply, Hinata contents herself with flopping atop him for a hug. âOf c-course Iâll keep that title, s-silly. Always.â
Ah...he accidentally pushed an emotion button. He seems to do that with her a lot. Relaxing with a sigh, he lifts arms to embrace her back. â...then thatâs all that matters to me. Now...are we going to lie in bed all day, or get up and do something useful?â
âI donât feel like being useful right nowâŠâ
â...is that because youâre crying?â
â...maybe.â
â...all right. First you have your cry, then we need breakfast. Iâm starving.â
âIf youâre hungry, you need to eat!â
âI can wait.â Pause. â...or I can go start while youâŠâ Awkward pause. â...do what youâre gonna do.â
That gets her to snort. âOkayâŠâ
Sliding out of bed, Sasuke throws on a pair of lounge pants and shuffles groggily into the kitchen. Days off really do him in - heâd much rather just get up the same time every day, but Hinata doesnât share the sentiment...and hates being in bed alone in the morning. Hence their usual routine of hanging about until she feels like getting up. It's nice in a way, but a little disruptive of his schedule, otherwise.
But then again, it's one of those tiny sacrifices you make when you love someone.
Thankfully he knows well-enough how to cook, starting a simple breakfast while he waits. The clock says itâs not too awfully late. He should be able to get a full dayâs worth of stuff done. As for what that will be...heâs not sure yet. But thereâs always plenty to do. And if all else fails, heâll try to find someone to spar with.
âMm, smells good.â
He jostles slightly as Hinata comes up behind him, leaning against his back lazily and hugging his waist. âShould be done soon.â
âMmâŠâ
Realizing sheâs probably dozing against him, Sasuke waits a moment before adding, â...wife of mine.â He grins as she gives a soft sound of indignation, clearly burying her brow against his spine as she chastises him for working her up again. Apparently heâs discovered a bit of a secret weapon...not that Hinata is the hardest to fluster or embarrass. Quite the opposite really.
Itâs...cute.
Eventually he finishes their breakfast, shuffling with her still attached to his back to the table. â...do you want me to sit on you?â
Another muffled complaint before she finds her own seat. With a sleepy, âItadakimasuâ, she quietly digs in, not noticing him watching her for a few moments before doing the same.
....clan or no clan, he has what he wants. Anything else...doesnât matter anymore.
   Word count: 1189
   Cumulative: 25,585
   III am still behind...whoops. This prompt gave me a little trouble, but hopefully this both works, and was good to read! Hyuchiha is a term a fellow SasuHina shipper friend of mine utilizes a lot, so I had to throw that in there for them x3
   Anyway, I canât make guarantees about catching up tonight, but Iâll give it my best! I donât like to grind drabbles out too much cuz it burns me out. Either way, thanks for reading, and see you in the next one!
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[ SasuHinaMonth Day Nineteen: Jealousy ]
[ @sasuhinamonth ]
[ Uchiha Sasuke, Hyƫga Hinata, Haruno Sakura, Uzumaki Naruto ]
[ SasuHina, NaruSaku ]
[ Verse: A Light Amongst Shadows ]
He doesnât like to call it jealousy. Jealousy is a petty, insecure thing. And Uchiha Sasuke is not insecure.
...though he may, in some small ways, be just a little bit petty.
Itâs hardly unheard of to run into his teammates while out and about. Konoha may be big, but so too does it crawl with people he knows, whether it be as well as the rest of squad seven, or just acquaintances he knows by face, if not by name. And anymore, he has quite a few outings with Hinata. Another unsuspicious thing, given that they are, indeed, dating.
...but stillâŠ
Like themselves, Sakura and Naruto tend to travel in a pair. That, at least, doesnât bother him in the slightest. They suit one another, he thinks. Both loud, obnoxious, but with good hearts. Just like he and Hinata are quiet, unobtrusive, and fairly good people.
...perhaps she more so than him, some days.
...most days.
Today they run into one another along one of the villageâs busy shopping district streets, the dark-haired couple just emerging from a door as the others pass by. Without pause, Hinata (a few paces ahead of him, carrying her bags) gives a greeting, asking how theyâre doing, what theyâre up to.
Cocking a hip and preparing to wait, Sasuke leans against the building, expression cool and hands in his pockets, handles looped around his wrists. And he watches.
Sheâs so good at talking to people. Which, admittedly, wasnât always the case. There are few who werenât aware of Hinataâs reclusive nature as a child. But time and experience have helped temper her hesitation. She quips openly with Sakura, making plans to see them again (something heâll have to put up with for her sake). Naruto then chimes in about how they havenât seen each other in a while - feels like theyâre all so busy!
And then he...hugs her.
Sasukeâs one eye narrows ever so slightly as Narutoâs blooming height reaches down and gives the little HyĆ«ga a warm embrace. She smiles, laughs a little.
Something clenches in his chest.
âSo, weâll see you Friday, then!â
âYeah for sure!â the blond replies, grinning. A hand reaches to the back of his head to scratch. âItâll be good to spend a little time together, eh teme?â
Broken from his broodings, Sasuke blinks. â...sure.â
Sakura makes a small sound of disappointment, planting hands on her hips with a forward lean. âDonât sound so enthusiastic, Sasuke-kun. Itâs not like weâre going to be torturing you.â
...arenât you? â...we should get going, Hinata.â
Looking to him curiously, pale eyes blink, clearly a bit taken aback by his wanting to leave. â...all right. I guess you are carrying all the bags - here, let me take some.â
Wordlessly handing them over, Sasuke gives the others a curt nod before they head down the roadway.
Silence hangs for a few minutes. Only once sheâs sure the others arenât near enough to overhear does Hinata ask, â...what was all that about?â
âWhat?â
âYou sounded...annoyed.â
âDealing with those two is exhausting. Something I have to build a buffer for.â
In spite of herself, she laughs softly. âI know...but still...are you sure nothingâs bothering youâŠ?â
His one dark eye glances to her, trying to see if sheâs cheating and reading his chakra flow. â...I just want to get home. Shoppingâs not my thing. Didnât want to just stand around and chat when weâve got things to do.â
Another pause.
âSasuke-kun...you arenât jealous, are you?â
Thereâs a clench of his jaw. âNo.â
â...are you -?â
âLook, maybe itâs a little hard to see you and Naruto act so buddy-buddy sometimes.â
â...but -?â
His mood is souring, and he wouldnât admit this otherwise, but heâs already said too much. Might as well just go all-out. â...I know you cared about him. That you loved him. And I know that sort of thing isnât so easy to let go off.â Heâs seen someone else close hang onto a love even after the atrocities her heartâs desire had done. â...maybe Iâm worried youâll...fall back into that sometime. Donât you feel that way when Sakura talks to me?â
For a time, Hinata goes quiet, and that only serves to make him more...nervous.
â...no. Iâm never jealous of Sakura-chan.â
He gives a snort of disbelief.
â...because I know you never loved her. Just like Naruto never loved me.â
...oh.
Watching the ground as they walk, itâs clear sheâs mulling over her words carefully. â...Naruto-kun was...everything I wanted to be. Confident, not caring what people thought, without the burdens I bore. I wanted that freedom, that ability to love myself and turn my back on all the bad things people thought about me. ButâŠâ She sighs, shoulders wilting. â...eventually, yes, that turned into a crush. And maybe something more than a crush. But...I think I was still just chasing what he had. He was getting so strong, and everyone was rallying to him. As I was. And while itâs true, I do still care about him...I know now I donât feel about him as I did before. Naruto-kun is a wonderful person, and heâs a good friend. But...heâs not someone I want to spend the rest of my life with.
âWhat I have now - how my life has changed - isnât quite what I envisioned when I was young, and when I idolized him. I gave up being heiress. I no longer want to impress my father...I just want to be myself, and be strong for myself. My clan is moving in a better direction...one I helped start. And I have a job now that lets me feel...appreciated. Useful. More involved with my village. It makes me happy.â
Turning to him, she gives him a warm smile. â...and you make me happy. I have everything that I want, even if itâs not what I started out wanting. Iâm...content. And I wouldnât risk that for a moment. I donât want you to feel...uncomfortable around Naruto-kun when Iâm there â he's your best friend! I hope you know...I donât have any intentions of ever chasing after him again. Thatâs in the past. And you...you are my future.â
Silent as Hinata speaks, Sasuke canât help but swallow thickly at her last words. He glances aside, trying to disguise his faltering expression.
Gods heâs an idiot.
Averting her eyes as not to make him uncomfortable, Hinata instead gently weaves fingers with his own, feeling his grip clench tightly. â...letâs go home - itâs getting late. I need to make dinner, and you need to be ready for your early shift tomorrow.â
â...so do you.â
âWhich is why Iâll be right beside you.â
   Word count: 1124
   Cumulative: 24,396
   Welp, another one a day late - yesterday was a rather not great day, sooo I thought better to try today as not to let that tamper with my writing~
   Uchiha certainly never get jealous. Jealousy is beneath them! They just...are very protective of whatâs theirs. Thatâs all x3 They also donât get teary-eyed when their girlfriends get mushy. Nope. Not at all.
   Iâll probably do todayâs ACTUAL prompt later on this evening. Iâve got a lot to catch up on my RP blog, too. But I should (gods willing) see yâall again tonight with todayâs drabble!
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[ SasuHinaMonth Day Eighteen: Dreams ]
[ @sasuhinamonth ]
[ Uchiha Sasuke, Hyƫga Hinata, Hyƫga Neji, Uchiha Itachi ]
[ SasuHina ]
[ Verse: A Light Amongst Shadows ]
What remains when oneâs life dream finds its end? What is left of a personâs purpose - what more do they have to accomplish when all they prepared for...is lost?
For both Sasuke and Hinata...such questions plague them at the warâs end.
Hinata reunites with her family, her cousinâs life returned by hands claiming a debt. The HyĆ«ga have a long path ahead of them: the horror that is the Caged Bird Seal has no place in a world so changed. Nejiâs sacrifice - nearly his last - opens the eyes of her father...and they begin motions to bring the practice to a halt for good.
Itâs a hard-won accomplishment. Sheâs detested the seal for years, since it made an enemy out of her most beloved cousin. Time and time again she has seen her father wield it like a weapon. She may no longer be heiress...but she and Neji both advise her sister to move ahead with the times, and eradicate the practice.
She finds herself happy at the change. One she helped bring about. Her family is whole again, leaving behind pieces of their dark past.
...what does that leave of her future?
Meetings with her agemates are weary, but had with smiles. Theyâre lucky to be alive. But among them is a bond now awkward.
Naruto seems to avoid her. She knows why. Between her actions during Peinâs invasion, and the war...her feelings have been laid bare, more than clear.
But he doesnât seem to accept them.
...she isnât...sure what to do. Hinata knows letting oneâs happiness depend entirely on one person is foolish. Unrealistic. But though they had at least been budding friends before...it feels like even that is now a bygone dream. She had hoped to - in any way - remain by his side.
But he doesnât want her there.
So...where does she belong?
Sasuke faces similar feelings of exclusion. Everyone treats him like a bomb with no visible fuse: just waiting for him to explode. Part of him canât blame them: he knows how unstable heâs been. But so too does he know his treatment over a lifetime has warranted such a broken psyche. It will be a long while before he can heal.
But at least he doesnât do it alone.
He too has family returned to him by the same giving hands. And to him, more than anything...thatâs what truly matters. Itachiâs life, much as his was to his brother, is worth more than the village to him. And it always will. True, they work together to begin purging Konohaâs shadows: addressing the massacre and exposing the truth. No longer will the Uchiha be dogged by their past. They seek a brighter future.
But...what exactly does that entail?
He isnât sure.
For so long - more than half his life - his only goal has been to kill the man he now stands proudly beside. They are on their way to cleansing their pasts. But when Sasuke looks ahead now, he sees...nothing. No goal, no path. Just a void with no direction.
He is lost.
He tells himself he wants a clear future for his family. His brotherâs children, and his own...someday. But can he really find himself close enough to another person to raise a family? Sakura...is not for him. Not now. Perhaps she never was despite her wishful thinking. He canât bring himself to hate her...but nor can he ever truthfully claim to love her. Their differences are far too stark. There are too many parts of himself he canât allow her to see. Allow anyone to burrow to.
And he sees the way she looks to Naruto, now. Heâs...happy for them.
Will he ever be happy for himself?
Perhaps itâs a trait of wandering paths, to eventually cross. Not that such a thing is unlikely in their case. Hinata and Sasukeâs circles overlap a great deal. Thereâs little avoiding one another. But itâs only now, with their eyes no longer trained on their goals, that they can begin to see...something else.
It starts innocently enough. A common topic - their restored brother figures - is the first thing they reminisce. The uncertain but brighter futures for their families.
The loneliness they feel.
They tread around one another carefully - after all, until now, theyâve been relative strangers. But between similar natures and similar stories, they canât help but find common ground...which in turn opens their curiosities, and their trust.
They have so much aligned, in ways few would likely ever guess.
And once they realize it...they both admit to their greatest insecurities:
âWhere do I go from here?â
Neji serves as an advisor to Hanabi alongside Hinata, also helping integrate the branch house into their new, unified family. But thereâs still a kind of disconnect. No longer does Hinata dream to be heiress â the only person she wishes to prove herself to, is herself. Any change she hoped to bring is already in motion: though she helps, it can continue on without her. What is left for her to do?
Itachi rejoins the ANBU - does as he always has: serves the village in the shadows. Sasuke has tried reentering the mission pool...but something just feels...amiss. And not just the looks heâs gotten from teammates. Even solo assignments feel lacking. But how else can he help ensure Konohaâs safety...and that it never again strays down the wrong path that led to his losses?
...and then it hits him.
The old building is gone...they all are. So too is the force that once occupied it. But Sasuke still remembers his fatherâs pride and joy: the Konoha Military Police Force. Those that helped ensure the laws within the village...much as his brother does outside. They kept the peace and helped the citizens feel safe. Maybe...they can do so again.
But there are so few Uchiha left. He canât do this by himself. The once-watchful eyes of his clan need bolstering in their numbers.
Who else better than those with such a similar gaze?
He brings his proposal to Neji: reinvent the police force under both their clansâ banners. Let their eyes watch over the village. Give those of them feeling unfulfilled a new purpose again.
Himself foremost.
The advisor seems intrigued, and promises an audience at their next clan meeting. Sasuke presents his case...and is bolstered when many show an interest. They begin preliminary talks between themselves, and then with the Rokudaime.
Kakashi is just happy to see him look so driven again...and this time, with good intentions.
Itachi praises the idea, promising full support and compliance with his own ranks of the ANBU. The administration pledges a new building, and the revival of the proper training.
Together, the brothers will keep watchful eyes over the village that once tried to drive them to ruin. So too will their allies in the HyĆ«ga. And perhaps Sasukeâs feeling of disconnect can fade, working so closely with the people of the village his brother died to protect. They may, in time, come to mean just as much to him as they do to Itachi.
They take their first round of recruits three months after he speaks to Neji.
To his honest surprise...Hinata is the first at the door.
â...what are you doing?â
â...giving myself purpose again.â
âWhat about your sister? She needs your help.â
âNeji-nÄ«san is a far better advisor than Iâll ever hope to be. She has a view from the main house already in herself. He tempers her with the branch houseâs side. Iâm...unnecessary.â
Sasuke makes to retort, but she quiets him with an imploring glance.
â...I want to make a difference in this village. My clan has found their stride. So has yours. Maybe here...I can, too.â
He considers her for a long moment, seeing the determination in her eyes. So...sheâs finally let go of what used to be. No more heiress, no more Narutoâs shadow. Sheâs sought her own strength, and seeks to use it in a way she sees fit.
...sounds familiar.
â...all right, HyĆ«ga. Youâre in.â
âThereâs going to be quite a few of us here, you know. Calling me HyĆ«ga might get confusing.â
Thereâs a curt snort. â...fine. Hinata.â
â...I look forward to working with you...Sasuke-taichĆ.â
   Word count: 1381
   Cumulative: 23,272
   Phew, got this done just in time for bed xDÂ
   I actually havenât plotted Hinataâs role in ALAS too much. Especially since Iâm thinking of reworking a few things about its overall plot (not that Iâll ever write the whole thing). But I really do enjoy the idea of Hinata joining the UHPF (Uchiha-HyĆ«ga Police Force). Neji, I think, makes a good advisor for her sister. Which leaves her at a bit of a loss as to a purpose.
   Sasuke, Iâve known since the epilogueâs beginning, wants to revive the PF. Itâs just a little hard to do alone. Hence asking their allies in the HyĆ«ga for help. And I like the metaphor of those with dĆjutsu helping keep watch on Konoha from threats interior.
   ...anyway, Iâm rambling. I need sleep, lol - but hope yâall enjoyed!
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[ SasuHinaMonth Day Seventeen: Angst ]
[ @sasuhinamonth ]
[ Uchiha Sasuke, Hyƫga Hinata ]
[ SasuHina, blood mention, death mention ]
[ Verse: Best Years of Your Life ]
âWhat are you going to do with your life, Hinata? Do you have any ambition in that empty head of yours?! Youâre a high school senior - you havenât picked a college. No ideas for a major. All you do is spend all your time out of the house doing God knows what. If you donât get your act together, youâll be out on your own - I wonât abide a layabout under my roof. Then weâll see how quickly you start taking on the real world!â
Shut up shut up sHUT UP!
The treads of her sneakers grind against the pedals, propelling her faster and faster. Where? She doesnât know. Anywhere but there. Anywhere but home. If she can even call it home anymore. It hasnât felt like home in a long time. Rain soaks into her lavender hoodie, chilling her to tremors. But still she doesnât stop, venting her rampaging emotions through strain and effort.
Even now, her fatherâs words echo in her head like some kind of demon over her shoulder. What does he know about her life? He never asks - never cares. The only person he spends time on is his younger daughter. Miss perfect. Miss right the the second time around. Miss doesnât look like their dead mother.
...why does it feel like sheâs the only one who misses her?
Hiashi wonders where she goes all the time. She wishes it was to see friends. Go to the mall. Anything normal. But she doesnât have friends. Has too much anxiety for the mall. So she spends time with the one person who cares. The one place she doesnât feel so out of place.
Her motherâs grave is a somber, but serene place. There, Hinata can talk about...anything. Everything. She tells her mother her worries, her accomplishments...everything her father will never hear. Would never want to hear. Hanako listened when the boy she liked kissed her ex-best friend at homecoming freshman year. About her anxiety attack during an oral exam - one that cost her her grade, and forced her to repeat the class. About the rumors, the whispers, the shady looks from the corners of everyoneâs eyes.
Sheâs tired...so tired. Of all of it. Her sisterâs gloating, her fatherâs indifference beyond her reputation as it concerns his. Her school where no one cares, earning grades that donât matter. She barely makes it through her days - how can she plan for those five, ten, fifty years in the future?
All Hinata wants...is a day. One day. Without anyone and their expectations.
Head craning back, she lifts her face to the rain, coasting down a small residential hill. If only she could pedal forever - take this bike to a better place. Somewhere sheâd feel like she belonged.
Her eyes are closed for just a moment. Just long enough to miss the stone in the road that flings her bike askew. Her balance is lost, tipping and skidding along the pavement. Thin jeans quickly give way to friction, skin tearing and metal clattering.
All it takes is a moment.
For a long minute, she lays on the sidewalk, dazed and uncomprehending. Then the pain slowly builds, worming its way up through the shock and the cold of the rain.
...shit.
Dizzy and disoriented, she struggles to sit up, not noticing the wet, slapping footsteps approaching at a run.
âHold up - let me help you.â
Hands start pushing, pulling - maneuvering her into a better position. Still fogged, she doesnât resist as arms take her up from the concrete. Several minutes disappear as she surrenders, surfacing again and realizing sheâs on a couch...inside. It smells like clean, foreign house...and Febreeze.
Sheâs aloneâŠ?
Managing to bring herself upright, thereâs a hiss as several road rashes protest. Her jeansâ knees are threadbare and bloodied, speckled with grit. Her palms are similarly mauled, a few places along her forearms and elbows in no better shape.
âShit, HyĆ«ga - you look even worse than your bike.â
Turning and swaying, Hinata blinks as she spies a classmate: Uchiha Sasuke. How did he�
âPicked a hell of a place to crash. Saw the whole thing through the kitchen window. Lucky I did - had to peel you off the sidewalk. HereâŠâ Stepping up to her seat, he takes a knee, a bucket of warm, bubbly water wrung from a cloth.
âW-wait, you donât have to -â
âJust hold still.â Carefully, he starts clearing away the debris, glancing up as she flinches. âYeah, it hurts - but you donât want all that shit in there. Hold tight.â
Doing her best to hold her bearings, Hinata bites her lip as he mops up what he can from her knees. Then on to her arms. Heâs...oddly delicate. Funny, he doesnât really seem the type. Mr. Cool Guy at school - quiet, distant, with a major case of resting bitch face.
âHowâd you wipe out so bad, anyway?â
â...Iâm not sure. It...happened really fast.â
âHnâŠâ Still focused on an elbow, he murmurs, â...guess the road was wet. Maybe you hit a puddle or something. Threw you off.â
She doesnât admit to having her eyes closed - heâd probably think her stupid. Instead, she just stares numbly at his work.
â...so whatâs going on with you? Normally youâd be all stammery and apologetic, right? Youâre too quiet, even for a wallflower.â
...she didnât think he knew her that well. â...just...having a bad day.â
âHence riding your bike in a downpour? Thatâs some top-tier angst if Iâve ever seen it.â
Her expression turns cool. â...youâre hardly qualified to talk. You donât even know me.â
âNo, but I still see things. Hear things. Pretty clear youâre in a shitty place. Sure you werenât looking to crash that bike of yours?â
Her throat tightens against a retort.
Finished cleaning her up, Sasuke gives her a look. â...true, I donât know you, HyĆ«ga. Maybe itâs none of my business. But given you literally crash-landed on my doorstep, maybe it wouldnât kill you to open up. I can listen.â
Hinata gives him a wary look. â...w-what do you care?â
âDunno. Maybe Iâve got nothing better to do. Maybe Iâm tired of watching you self-destruct from a distance. Maybe I donât want to see you lurking in a graveyard like a wannabe goth anymore.â
âY-you -?!â
âIâve got parents in there, remember? Iâm there a lot. But not as much as you, if I had to guess.â
...well this is embarrassing. So heâs been watching her hide with her mother, seen her reclusion at school, and now heâs just watched her completely biff it on her bike. Meanwhile, she knows almost nothing about him beyond his general reputation. â...my mother is there. I...visit her often. Nothing else to do.â
He just gives a hum.
â...w-why do you watch me so much?â
âBecause you think no one does. Everyone else is struggling to be the center of attention. You avoid it like a plague. Consider it intriguing.â
âOr maybe youâre just a nosy jerk.â
âThis nosy jerk just saved your ass from laying in the rain and getting a chill after nearly knocking yourself out. Would it kill you to trust someone, HyĆ«ga? I donât want anything from you. I just find you interesting. Youâre not like anyone else I know.â A pause. â...Iâm gonna make you some tea. Then weâre gonna wrap those injuries. And youâre gonna keep your butt on that couch until I do.â
Her brow furrows, still confused. â...I didnât think you were the n-nursing type.â
âMy sister-in-law is a nurse. Sheâs taught me a few things, whether I wanted to learn them or not. Lucky for you, some of it stuck.â
It takes a few minutes, but eventually she has a cup of black tea, cradling it as he considers her legs.
â...youâre gonna have to take your pants off.â
She nearly spits. âW-what?!â
âIâm not gonna wrap over your jeans. Either that, or I hack them off. Theyâre ruined, anyway.â
Still startled, she thinks for a moment. â...yeah, just...c-cut them off. I can sew a new hem and make them into shorts later.â
âGot it.â
Once the fabric is out of the way, he lays down disinfectant-doused gauze before securing it with medical tape. Soon her arms match her legs, and heâs done.
â...so.â
â...soâŠ?â
âCâmon, HyĆ«ga. Itâs clear youâve got no friends. You gotta talk to someone.â
She bristles.
Before she can retort, he adds, â...and I mean someone who can listen. Reply. I get venting to the dead is therapeutic, but...itâs not the same as talking to the living.â He gives her a calculating glance. â...give it a try before you go off the deep end.â
Pale eyes flicker between his dark ones. Part of her is loathe to tell him anything. As soft as Hinata is...sheâs stubborn. And heâs being such a jerk! Sure, a helpful jerk, but...still!
...and yetâŠ
Thereâs something in the base of her gut that wants to open up. Spill all her secrets. Itâs a little strange, sheâll admit, how he seems to have already been paying attention. Given his own following, sheâs never bothered. The only thing she knows is that heâs Narutoâs best friend...and sheâs tired of thinking about Naruto. Tired of a lot of things.
Slowly, her countenance loses its defensive edge. She softens, looking less stubborn and more torn. Maybe heâs right. Maybe...she just needs someone to listen. Her motherâs done what she can, but...itâs just not quite enough.
So, after one last hesitation, Hinata draws a deep breath...and talks.
   Word count: 1620
   Cumulative: 21,891
   I didnât think Iâd get this done tonight - had a really rough day and put it off until waaay late. Didnât help the vague prompt left me a little at a loss. But then I just started goinâ, and...here we are!
   So far, Iâve noticed I write more from Sasukeâs POV...like a lot, lol - so hereâs something more Hinata-centric! I donât write modern too much, but...I tried to imagine how her canon struggles would translate in a modern setting. I think sheâd have a tough time of it. And Sasuke, I think, would be pretty understanding. Heâs not the best therapist, but...heâll give it his best shot, lol
   Anyway, itâs suuuper late where I am, so...time to call it a night! Hope yâall enjoyed - Iâll try to reply to a few comments Iâve gotten the last few days tomorrow when Iâm more awake. Thanks for allâyâallâs support. As hard as itâs been to write lately due to some irl struggles, Iâm really enjoying this ship month and getting back into fanfic writing a bit more. And the positive feedback has been super encouraging, so...thank you~ <3
   Also super sorry for the typo in yesterdayâs heading - I didnât catch it before some peeps reblogged, but it was (obviously) day sixteen, not six. I was tired, okay xD
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